This is a small group of birds. Within this category are the larger Fairy Bluebirds and Green Leafbirds. World wide there are only 10 species. Out of which 6 are in South east Asia. I have featured on this page the 5 Leafbirds, then the 6th which is the Asian Fairy Bluebird I have kept it on a separate page for easy search on that particular species. This was the grouping done before the Fairy Bluebird was shifted to a new group all by itself.

These birds are known to feed on berries, insects as well as nectar but more so on berries at times hunting nectar.

Leafbirds are medium sized birds with the same body profile as the very common Bulbul birds, so should be easy to spot. However as the name of most birds implies, these are green leaf birds. Birding in tropical forest is a region where all leaves within our forest are green throughout the year. This common name stays - denoting that the natural camouflage for the birds was so good that it is rather a task to spot the bird, let alone getting pictures of the bird among the green foliages.

Most species as I know of have the habit of making continuous calls while foraging. It is always these calls that alert birders to their presence in the area.

This is another smaller Green Leafbird at 20 cm. The bird originates from the highlands in North-eastern India and the areas of South China. This is a forest bird of the sub-montane to the montane region. Hence commonly seen in the forest of Awana to the summit of Genting Highlands, so would the areas of all hill resorts in peninsula.

This is a noisy bird that would be chirping away continuously. I consider this to be the most colorful Green Leafbird. As with all Green Leafbirds, the female is plain green with virtually undetectable alien shade.

The pictures shown above are interesting as there are illustration of the young birds the various stages of being a juvenile to sub-adult. Of course the female birds are included

Among the whole lot of birds shown, only the Lesser and the Greater Green Leafbirds have plain colors and also presented some problems to spot. The male species of the remaining 2 Leafbirds are colorful and with the vibrant tones on their bodies, it is easier to weed out the birds among a field of green.

Most species with the exception of the Golden-fronted are plentiful in Malaysia and among the first birds to be spotted in the forest edges. As common as Yellow-vented Bulbul in our backyards, Leafbirds are encountered readily i.e  if you can spot their whereabouts.

The only bird which belong to this same family and excluded from this group of greenish shaded bird would be the Asian Fairy Bluebird.

With Will would Wander