From Opus

Revision as of 07:51, 26 February 2012

Photo by balticbird
Perinet, Madagascar

Alternative name: Chabert's Vanga

Leptopterus chabert

Photo by rdavis
Ifaty, Madagascar

Identification

14cm. A small vanga:

• Prominent broad blue eyering
• Black (with glossy blue sheen) forehead, crown, lores, ear-coverts, nape and upperparts
• Black tail (schistocercus with white outer tail feathers with black tips)
• White chin, throat, side of neck and underparts
• Dark red eye
• Pale blue bill

Sexes alike. Juveniles lack blue eyering and have a paler looking head.

Distribution

Endemic to Madagascar.
Widespread and fairly common in its range.

Taxonomy

Two subspecies are recognized:

• L. c. chabert in west, north and east Madagascar
• L. c. schistocercus in southwest Madagascar

Habitat

Found in all types of native forest, secondary regrowth and plantations. Occurs from sea-level up to 1000m, occasionally higher.

Behaviour

Diet

Feeds on invertebrates (like beetles, cockroaches or worms) and small vertebrates (chameleons). Takes also small berries.
Forages usually in flocks in the canopy and frequently seen hover-gleaning.

Breeding

Breeding recorded from August to March. A co-operative breeder with one or more helpers. The nest is a cup made of plant fibres and twigs. It's placed 6 - 19m above the ground in a tree. Lays 3 -4 eggs.

Probably a sedentary species.

References

1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507

• List of references

External Links