From Opus

Photo by rizal2003
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in Oct. 2004

Aplonis panayensis

[edit] Identification

Adult: Glossy, iridescent plumage appearing green, purple or black. Red eyes.

Juvenile: has bold dark streaks over a greyish-brown dull white body

[edit] Distribution

Asia: India, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Bangladesh
Southeast Asia: Indochina, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Malay Peninsula, Brunei, Singapore, Philippines, Island of Borneo, Indonesia, Greater Sundas, Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Bali, Mollucas

Juveniles
Photo by Joe Pan
Kinabatangan District, Sabah, Malaysia, May 2007

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

There are 14 subspecies.

• A. p. affinis:

• Assam to Bangladesh and Myanmar (Arakan Yoma Mountains)

• A. p. strigata:

• Southern Thailand to Malaysia, Sumatra, Java and western Borneo

• A. p. tytleri:

• Andaman Islands and Car Nicobar Islands

• A. p. albiris:

• Great and Central Nicobar Islands

• A. p. heterochlora:

• Anambas and Natuna islands (off Borneo)

• A. p. eustathis:

• Eastern Borneo

• A. p. alipodis:

• Panjang, Maratau and Derawan islands (off eastern Borneo)

• A. p. panayensis:

• Northern Sulawesi and Philippine Islands

• A. p. sanghirensis:

• Talaud, Sangihe, Siau, Tahjlandang, Ruang, and Biaro islands

• A. p. enganensis:

• Enggano Island (off southern Sumatra)

• A. p. altirostris:

• Simuelue, Banyan and Nias islands (off western Sumatra)

• A. p. leptorrhyncha:

• Batu Island (off western Sumatra)

• A. p. pachistorhina:

• Mentawi Islands (off western Sumatra)

• A. p. gusti:

• Bali

leptorrhyncha is not accepted by all authorities^[2]

[edit] Habitat

Moist lowland forests, mangrove forests, open country, farms, plantations and gardens

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Diet

The diet includes soft fruits (papaya, banana, mango, figs), berries and insects.

[edit] Breeding

They nest in tree holes, palm tree crowns and thickets of epiphytic ferns. When a hole is used, little nesting material is used; otherwise, the nest is built using grass and items of rubbish, such as paper. Three eggs (blue, spotted dark brown) are laid at any time of the year, peaking March-June.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.
2. Avibase
3. Naturia
4. BF Member observations

• List of references

[edit] External Links