From Opus

Photo by atanumondal
Location: Periayaar National Park, India

Alternative names: Ceylon Trogon; Southern Trogon

Harpactes fasciatus

[edit] Identification

With 31 cm a small Trogon.

• Bright rufous upperparts
• Blue orbital skin and bill
• White undertail
• Male with slaty head and breast, red underparts separated by white breast-band
• Female duller with ochre underparts, brown head, breast and mantle and cinnamon rump and tail
• Male malabaricus have a darker head, almost black
• Juveniles are like females but coverts are vermiculated buff

There is no confusion species within its range.

[edit] Distribution

	Endemic to the Indian Subcontinent. Found in India in the Western Ghats in the SW and in the Eastern Ghats (Andhra Pradesh, Orissa). Also on Sri Lanka. Common in parts of its range (Kerala, Sinharaja Forest in Sri Lanka), uncommon and rare in others.
	Legend • M. f. malabaricus; year-round • M. f. legerli (status); year-round • M. f. fasciatus; year-round Maps/Texts consulted1,2,3,4,5,6

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies¹

• H. f. malabaricus - western to southern India
• H. f. legerli - not always recognized; eastern-central India
• H. f. fasciatus - Sri Lanka

[edit] Status of legerli

Though sequenced following the account for H. f. malabaricus by Clements (2007)¹, H. f. legleri is not considered a valid subspecies by numerous worldwide and regional authors (Rasmussen & Anderton, 2005²; Grimmett et al., 1998³; Kazmiercak, 2000⁴; Del Hoyo et al., 2001⁶). In general, Rasmussen & Anderton (2005) is known for presenting imminent but pending taxonomic information based on scientific data. Within India, it unprecedentedly recognizes many theoretical species and subspecies, yet does not recognize legleri (attributes its range to malabaricus).

[edit] Habitat

Dense primary and secondary evergreen forest, semi-evergreen and deciduous forest. Prefers bamboo. Also recored in plantations (eg mahagony). Up to 1500m in India, 1800m in Sri Lanka.

[edit] Behaviour

Feed on insects (caterpillars, moths, beetles,...), takes also leaves and berries.
Breeding season from February to June. It nests in a hollow in a tree stump, with a typical clutch of 2-4 eggs.
Mainly resident, but some movement seems to occur around Bombay, where the species is only present during the cold season.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019
2. Rasmussen, PC and JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334672
3. Grimmett, R, C Inskipp, and T Inskipp. 1998. Birds of the Indian Subcontinent. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 978-0713640045
4. Kazmierczak, K and B van Perlo. 2000. A Field Guide to the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent. New Haven: Yale Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0300079210
5. Kazmierczak, K and R Singh. 2001. A Birdwatcher's Guide to India. New Dehli: India Oxford Univ. Press. ISBN 978-1871104080
6. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and J Sargatal, eds. 2001. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 6: Mousebirds to Hornbills. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334306

• List of references

[edit] External Links