Leaf birds
| Leaf birds | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Orange-bellied leaf bird ( Chloropsis hardwickii ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the family | ||||||||||||
| Chloropseidae | ||||||||||||
| Wetmore , 1960 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Chloropsis | ||||||||||||
| Jardine & Selby , 1827 |
The leaf birds ( Chloropsis ) form a genus in the family of the same name, the leaf birds (Chloropseidae) within the order of the passerine birds (Passeriformes). The genus includes eight species. Leaf birds were formerly classified in the family Irenidae together with the Ioras (Aegithinidae) and the fairy birds (Irenidae).
Leaf birds are widespread from South Asia to Southeast Asia and inhabit the upper regions of the trees in small groups in tropical forests or in mountain forests at an altitude of up to 1,300 meters. They are rarely found on the ground. Their legs are relatively short in relation to the body and their beak is long. They have long, green, thick plumage; however, the females are more plainly colored. The males have blue, red or yellow spots of color on the wings and head area. Their diet consists of insects , fruits , berries , pollen and nectar .
They have a wide variety of tones to produce persistently and can mimic the voices of other species. Their plumage color and the art of singing make them popular cage birds in their home countries.
species
The following types are distinguished:
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Chloropsis
- Bluebeard leaf bird ( Chloropsis cyanopogon )
- Blue-winged leaf bird ( Chloropsis cochinchinensis )
- Blue-fronted leaf bird ( Chloropsis venusta )
- Thick-billed leaf bird ( Chloropsis sonnerati )
- Gold-browed leaf bird ( Chloropsis aurifrons )
- Kinabalublattvogel ( Chloropsis kinabaluensis )
- Jerdon leaf bird ( Chloropsis jerdoni )
- Orange-bellied leaf bird ( Chloropsis hardwickii )
- Palawan leaf bird ( Chloropsis palawanensis )
- Philippines leaf bird ( Chloropsis flavipennis )
- Sumatran leaf bird ( Chloropsis media )
literature
- Publisher: Forshaw, Joseph: Encyclopedia of Birds , 1999 - ISBN 3-8289-1557-4
