Alternative name: Blue-whiskered Leafbird
- Chloropsis cyanopogon
Identification
16 - 19cm.
- All green plumage
Male
- Black facial mask and chin
- Cobalt-blue malar band
- Trace of brassy yellow on forehead and around black mask
Female
- Lacks black mask and has a paler blue malar band
Similar species
Smaller and much smaller-billed than Greater Green Leafbird. Lacks blue-shoulder patch and has yellowish border to black bib.
Three types of similar looking leafbirds occur in Thailand, Peninsula Malaysia and Singapore - Blue-winged, Greater Green and Lesser Green Leafbirds - making them difficult to identify in the field. The male Greater Green and Lesser Green can be distinguished from the Blue-winged Leafbird by the lack of bluish wing patch and tail sides while the female Greater Green and Lesser Green Leafbird lacks the bluish wing patch, tail sides and throat patch. The male Greater Green is distinguished from the male Lesser Green Leafbird by its bigger size and stronger bill. Besides size and bill differences, female Greater Green Leafbird has yellow eye-ring and throat patch which is lacking in female Lesser Green Leafbird.
Distribution
Found in south-east Asia from southern Burma and Thailand to peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra and Borneo.
Still locally common where suitable habitat remains but has disappeared from much of its range due to forest clearance.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Two subspecies recognized[1]:
- C. c. cyanopogon in southern Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo
- C. c. septentrionalis from southern Burma and southern Thailand to northern Malay Peninsula
Habitat
Lowland evergreen forest including well-grown secondary forest.
Occurs from sea-level up to 700m.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on arthropods, fruits and sometimes flower nectar.
Gleans insects from the foliage.
Forages alone or in pairs. Often in mixed-species flocks.
Breeding
A solitary breeder. Not much known about breeding.
Movements
A resident species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and D Christie, eds. 2005. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 10: Cuckoo-Shrikes to Thrushes. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334726
- BF Member observations
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Lesser Green Leafbird. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 25 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Lesser_Green_Leafbird
