Blue-winged leafbird

Chloropsis cochinchinensis

Photo by C. Balakrishnan (JPG)

Common name:
blue-winged leafbird (en); verdim-d'asa-azul (pt); verdin à tête jaune (fr); verdín aliazul (es); blauflügel-blatvogel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Chloropseidae

Range:
This species is found from western Indonesia north to Myanmar and Laos, and marginally into southern China, extreme north-eastern India and Bangladesh.

Size:
These birds are 16-18 cm long and weigh 19-28,5 g.

Habitat:
The blue-winged leafbird is mostly found in lowland rainforests, but also use rainforests in mountainous areas, rural gardens and plantations. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.800 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on insects, but also fruits, berries and nectar.

Breeding:
Blue-winged leafbirds breed in February-July. They nest in an open cup made of fine stems, leaves and rootlets, typically placed on the ends of branches near the tree crown, or sometimes hanging from thin horizontal shoots, or attached to a pair of vertical twigs. The female lays 2-3 cream or pinkish eggs, which she incubates alone for 13-14 days while the male brings her food. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge about 16 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as relatively common throughout much of this range, although scarce in Singapore and rather rare in Java. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction.