Alternative names: Greater Leafbird; Malachite-shouldered Leafbird
- Chloropsis sonnerati
Identification
Largest and heaviest leafbird, 18 - 21cm.
- All green plumage
- Large, stout bill
- Blue shoulder-patch (usually not visible in field)
Male
- Black face and black bib
- Purple-blue malar band
Female
- Lacks black mask and bib
- Paler blue malar band
- Bright yellow throat and eyering
Juvenile resemble female but has less distinctive yellowish throat and eyering.
Similar species
Very similar to Lesser Green Leafbird. Larger and with much longer and heavier bill and no yellowish forehead or 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, Borneo (including some adjacent smaller islands) and Java.
Still locally common where suitable habitat remains. Scarce and locally on Java.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Two subspecies recognized[1]:
- C. s. zosterops:
- C. s. sonnerati:
The described subspecies parvirostris from Nias Island is usually merged with zosterops.
Habitat
Mangroves, middle storey of forests, forest edges, tall secondary growth up to 1,200m.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on arthropods and fruits. Takes also flower nectar.
Gleans arthropods from foliage.
Breeding
A solitary breeder. The nest is an open cup placed between the outer twigs of a lateral branch. No other information 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. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. 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
- Avibase
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Greater Green Leafbird. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 18 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Greater_Green_Leafbird
