Bluemasked leafbird
Chloropsis venusta
TAXONOMY
Phyllornis venusta Bonaparte, 1850, Sumatra.
- H Resident
OTHER COMMON NAMES
French: Verdin a front bleu; German: Blaustirn-Blattvogel; Spanish: Verdín Enmascarado.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
5.5 in (14 cm). Green plumage with blue forehead, cheek, and upper throat.
DISTRIBUTION
Sumatra.
HABITAT Hill forests.
BEHAVIOR
Presumed similar to other leafbirds.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET Presumed typical of genus.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY Not known.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Near Threatened, due primarily to deforestation. Locally common in some parts of habitat.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Potential "flagship" species to promote ecotourism in Suma-tran elevated forest. ♦
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Solidly built. 10 in (25 cm), 2.5 oz (75 g). Males have black un-derparts, wings, and tail; upperparts and undertail-coverts are a distinctive ultramarine blue. Females are a uniform dark turquoise-blue with black flight feathers. Both sexes have red eyes.
DISTRIBUTION
Coastal southern India, eastern Himalayas, Myanmar, Yunnan, Indochina, Malay Peninsula, Java, Sumatra, Borneo, and western Philippine island of Palawan.
HABITAT
Primary and tall secondary forests.
BEHAVIOR
May occur in flocks of up to thirty birds, largely staying in upper canopy, though descending to bath in streams. Loud melodious whistles are typical.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
While known to eat insects and nectar, primarily fruit eaters, specializing in figs.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Monogamous. Nest is a loose platform of twigs, lined with fine plant materials, in fork of leafy tree. Clutch is two olive-gray, brown splotched eggs.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened, due to enormous range, but many populations are at risk due to forest destruction.
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