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| The Emerald Serenader of the Tropics – The Green-Billed Malkoha, Male |
| The Green-Billed Malkoha is a species of non-parasitic Cuckoo found throughout the Indian Subcontinent and South East Asia. The birds are waxy bluish black with a long-graduated tail with white tips to the tail feathers. The bill is prominent and curved. These birds are found in dry scrub and thin forests. Note dark red facial skin, pale greenish-yellow bill, and dark green gloss on the wings and tail. Found in lowland and foothill forests and forest edges, as well as dense scrub and cultivated areas. Creeps through foliage like a squirrel. It gives various amphibian-like clucks and croaks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. …. ……. . .. … …… ………………………. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. …… The Green-Billed Malkoha is a remarkable bird that boasts a sleek black body adorned with iridescent green wings, making for an eye-catching spectacle. It has a waxy bluish-black with a long-graduated tail with white tips. It is a thin long tailed bird that has a length of only up to 50 to 60 cms in length and weighing between 114 to 116 gms. Adult is dark grey with green gloss above, oily green wings and tail. The tail is very long with broad white tips; lower belly is grey to blackish. Bare red skin around eye, often has a clear white boarder to the red face patch salty grey on the face and neck. Iris brown (or inner ring claret, outer ring white), bill pale green, feet greenish grey. Juvenile is greener with duller facial skin, shorter, narrower and more pointed tail with smaller and more diffuse white tips. Within the wide distribution range of the species, several plumage and size differences are noted among the populations which have been designed as subspecies of which Six subspecies are recognised. Chestnut-Bellied and Black-Bellied Malkohas can be similar; note Green-BilledÂ’s thin white border around the facial skin, dark eyes, and overall paler head and breast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. …. ……. . .. … …… ………………………. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. …… The Green-Billed Malkoha habitat is primary forest, second growth, dense thickets, scrub, cultivated areas, rubber plantations across South Asia, East from Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka to the South East Asia. Found in primary forest, secondary growth, dense thickets, scrub, cultivated areas, rubber plantations, hill forest, bamboo. Lowlands to hills at 1600 mtrs, locally to 1800 mtrs; mostly below 700 mtrs. These birds are found in dry scrub and thin forests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. …. ……. . .. … …… ………………………. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. …… The Green-Billed Malkoha are known to be arboreal creatures, preferring to spend their time high up in trees. They are not strong fliers; instead, they rely on their agility and jumping prowess to navigate their treetop habitat. Their diet primarily consists of insects such as caterpillars, beetles, and ants, but they have also been observed feeding on small reptiles and eggs. It feeds in dense foliage in thickets and trees. It mainly lives on insects, but also is known to catch small lizards and small mammals, occasionally catches insects in flight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. …. ……. . .. … …… ………………………. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. …… Sounds and Vocal Behaviour include a clucking and croaking frog-like call, “ko, ko, ko, ko”, sometimes ending with a run, “co-co-co-co”; cat-like chuckle when flushed or otherwise disturbed. …. ………. …… ………….. ………… ………… …. … … …… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………………….. … ………… ….. ………. …… ………….. …………………….. … ………… ….. ………. …… ………….. ………….. …… ………….. …………………….. … ………… ….. ………. …………. ….. ………. …… ………… ………….. …… ……….. …… ………….. ………… ……….. Description Credit – Birds of the World (The Cornell Lab), Oiseaux, Birda, Animalia, Nepal Desk, Ogaclicks, Birds of India | Bird World, Bird Count India & Wiki. |
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