T he
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus curvirostris) is a species of
cuckoo in the Cuculidae family. Found in Southeast Asia from Myanmar
through to eastern Java, the Philippines and Borneo, it is a large
cuckoo measuring up to 49 cm (19 in) with grey and dark green upperparts
and chestnut underparts, and a large curved pale upper mandible. The
male and female are similar in plumage. Unlike many cuckoos, it builds
its nest and raises its own young.
The Chestnut-breasted Malkoha was first described from a specimen
collected in western Java by English naturalist George Shaw in 1810 as
Cuculus curvirostris, before the genus Phaenicophaeus was erected by
English naturalist James Francis Stephens in 1815. Its specific epithet
is derived from the Latin words curvus "curved", and rostrum "beak".The
genus name is derived from the ancient Greek phoiniko- "crimson", and
phaes "eyes" or "face", referring to the Red-faced Malkoha. However, the
'œ' was transcribed incorrectly as 'æ'.
Subspecies
Six subspecies are recognised:
* P. c. singularis: from southern Myanmar and Thailand, through the
Malay Peninsula and into Sumatra, as well as the Anambas archipelago.
* P. c. oeneicaudus: from western Sumatra Islands.
* P. c. curvirostris: from central and western Java.
* P. c. deningeri: from eastern Java and Bali.
* P. c. microrhinus: from Bangka Island and Borneo.
* P. c. harringtoni: from Palawan, Balabac, Calamian and Dumaran islands
of the Palawan province of the western Philippines.
Description
Measuring 42–49 cm (17–19 in) in length, the Chestnut-breasted
Malkoha has a large curved pale yellow upper mandible and darker red or
black lower mandible, and a bare red patch of rough skin around the eye.
The head is grey and wings are dark green fading to blue with age. Its
underparts and rump are chestnut, and feet are dark grey. There is
little sexual dimorphism as the male and female are similar in plumage,
although the male has a pale blue iris and the female yellow.
Distribution and habitat
It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the western
Philippines, and southern Thailand.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland
forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests. It resides mainly
in the middle story in dense foliage. Much of its forest habitat is
being cleared.
Feeding
It eats small vertebrates, such as small lizards, frogs and baby
birds, and insects,[5] including caterpillars, grasshoppers, cicadas,
stick insects, mantises, cockroaches, beetles and bugs, as well as
spiders and small crabs.
Breeding
Unlike many cuckoos, the Chestnut-breasted Malkoha builds its nest
and raises its own young. Breeding season varies by location, from
August to December in Borneo, to January to September in Southeast Asia.
The male and female pair up and build a nest around 35 cm (14 in)
diameter of small branches and twigs,[with a leaf-lined depression or
cup around 11 cm (4 in) in diameter and 5 cm (2 in) deep. Two or three
matte white eggs measuring 34 x 28 mm are laid. Both the female and male
incubate the eggs, which usually hatch around 13 days after being laid.
Young birds remain in the nest for around 11 days, during which time
they are fed by both parents. |
