PASSERIFORMES
Aegithinidae
60 Artamidae
|
Woodswallow is a medium sized passerine bird which breeds from the Andaman islands east through Indonesia and and Northern Australia. Six species occur in the Australian region spreading to the Isnadlands in the xouth Pacific The name "Woodswalllow is a misnomer as these are not realted to the true Swallows. Instead they belong to the family Artamidae whic includes Buterbirds, Currawongs and the Australian Magpie/ The generic name "Artamos" was given meaning butcher or murder. Perhaps that habits was percieved to have similarity with Shrikes. Well one time they were even called Swallow-Starlings The White breasted Woodswallow have an Australian distribution with most species of coming from Australia and New Guinea. The Ashy Woodswallow has an exclusively Asian distribution ranging from India and Sri Lanka through southeast Asia to China. But the most widespread are the White breasted Woodswallow. Presence of this species extend their ranges from Peninsula Malaysia through to Australia. Then to the south to Vanatu and New Caledonia. The group reaches the easternmost extent in Fiji. It's there, that they were seem mixing with the Fiji Woodswallow Woodswallows are smooth agile flyers with moderately semi-triangular wings triangular wings. They are among the very few passerines birds that soar Often seen feeding just above tree tops. They are nomads following the best condition for flying insects and often roosting in large Flocks Although Woodswallows have a brush tipped tongue, they seldom used it for gathering nectar The bird is a gregarious foragers that chooses open forest, woodlamds, scrub and clearings |
|
|
||
 |
Ashy Woodswallow | Artamus fuscus |
|
|
Artamus leucorynchus |
|
PASSERIFORMES 61 Vangidae All these bird sare now grouped under as Vangidae. The 4 birds in the 2 groups are not easy to meet up with while the Woodshrke i the migratory season is quite a common bird. Both species, Flycatchershrikes and Philentomas are quite well known. Long ago they were placed in the same category with the Flycatchers. They are now grouped together with the Woodshrikes. The bird ha she habits of the Flycatchers and slightly larger, The Rufous-winged though fairly common, because of it small population is hardly met up with. Whereas the Maroon-breasted is virtually left unseen by most people. Both species with pictures taken by me came from the same spot in different years. That is, in the lowland forest edge of Rengit. The Rufous-winged was spotted several other tim e in other forest edges, also a lowland pristine forest conditions.
|
Malaysian Bird
61 Vangidae
Flycatcher-Shrikes
 |
1. Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike
|
 |
2. Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike |
61 Vangidae
Philentoma
 |
3.
Maroon-breasted Philentoma
|
 |
4.Rufous-winged Philentoma |
61 Vangidae
Woodshrike
 |
5. Large Woodshrike
|
|
These are birds of the deep forest. Sometimes could also be considered forest edge when one in walking through a track inside the deep forest. But which vegetation or what type of specific habitats attracts these birds? Must the species of trees attracting certain type of insects which pulls the birds to their food source. Both species of Philentomas, with little contacts, I experienced seeing them in exactly the same location at different times. Though a rare bird to meet up with and keeping themselves in very remote places, but on the chance encounter, the birds do not display any fears upon the presence of human within their surroundings. The birds continued with their routine before moving further away. The habits of the Maroon-breasted is virtually unknown as there was not enough encounters to record patterns. There is a possibilities that this species prefers the canopy level which explain the reason why this bird was not seen that often. However the presence of both species of birds in the area was alerted by their calls,
|
62 PASSERIFORMES
62 Pityriasidae
|
|
Bornean Bristlehead |
63 Aegithinidae
Iora
|
From the family of Aegithinidae. The Iora is a small and robust bird found across the tropical area and within this family have birds showing plumage variations. They are stout-billed and fairly short tail. The 3 different species found in Malaysia, each differently preferring scrub, dense forest and forest edges. One thing in common among them, their presence easily detected by their loud whistles and then on following through - spotting the birds due to its bright colored plumage. This could only happen if the birds get away from the safety of the thick foliages. The Common Iora seen most often has a large repertoire of calls. Ioras are insectivorous, have the impression that they would get more insects staying on the top of leaves. So it is assumed that they are at the canopy all the time but not really. It does scout under leaves as well that's why some times the bird is seen hanging upside down from the branches. Then it also catches insects on the wing. Iora can be rated as a very active bird and usually hunt as a pair, calling and feeding the whole time. One scene not seen by many people and also in special occasions is their mating rituals. Special features of the ritual would be the males would fluffing up their feathers and then in that state do an acrobatic act of spiraling in the air. The whole scene enhanced by its brightly colored plumage is that of a floating ball. On returning to its original perch, he takes up a nice posture which is also seen done by many birds i.e. has the wings spread and drooping his tail. For nesting materials, another bird that has selected cobwebs to bind the pieces of grasses he has collected to form a uniform cup secured at the forked branch. Both male and female participated in the hatching and fledging process which normally takes 14 days for hatching and another 11 days before the chick is fledged. Worldwide there are 4 species and we in Malaysia are having 3 of them. One of them, the Common Iora is even a bird of the public park which we get to see sometimes in our garden as well. |
 |
1.
Common Iora
|
 |
2.
Great Iora
|
 |
3.
Green Iora
|
|
The 3 Ioras are all lowland birds, with the exception of the Great Iora, the other two Ioras are quite easy to meet up with. The Great Iora unlike the other 2 birds hardly calls or calls much less frequent. This odd habit makes the spotting of this bird moving swiftly in the canopy more challenging.
|
 |
With Will would Wander |
 |