Malaysian Birds
Dusky Broadbill
Size & diagnostic markings:- 28 Cm. This bird had loud calls and large nests. It is rarely seen and only when the season for nesting, their presence becomes obvious. Though very large in size, the bird prefers the upper storey and so always some distances away when spotted. The Dusky broadbill is a large and bulky bird. The bird is nearly blackish brown all round with the exception of the throat and upper breast which is buffy and in creamy color. The broad bills is reddish with a grey tip. The facial skin is dull purple. Distribution :- The bird is resident in the Islands of Sumatra and Borneo. Habitats & preferences:- This is a lowland forest bird found in thick forest with rivers. the bird can also be found in the sub-montane environment. Prefers the upper storey and normally detected by its calls. I learn some tricks of birding from Uncle Foo, like many others too. He influenced me into thinking that the Dusky Broadbill is an ugly bird. That impression was etched into my mind especially after seeing the whole family in Congkak as my lifer. Large birds and perched very high up. The air and the surrounding were filled with their calls. Yes, at first glance their looks was so un-Broadbill which are known for their vibrant colors. The Dusky Broadbill as the name implies, is dark in color and a very outstanding broad bill to add to that unusual look. It was not until many years later that with the Panasonic FZ 10 camera that I was able to have pictures of this bird in quality I can decipher. Though odd, the bird has beauty of its own. It is not black but dark brown. What is really outstanding is the beige colored buffy throat combined with a out of proportion reddish bill. Another lowland bird that prefers low hills. They travel in flock and making lots of noises. Not easy to catch them as a chance meeting but need conscientious search. They prefer middle to the upper storey. On most encounter, they would be way out of range for most cameras. But there are exception. This pair in Bukit Tinggi was residing on rather high ground. In the afternoon, they would come down to almost eye level for "photographic sessions". I have also read the birds are more active in the late afternoon, just before dark. I do not have that much of experiences to verify this point.
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Dusky Broadbill's pix # 1
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Dusky Broadbill's pix # 11
But when you mention Dusky broadbill, one place comes to the mind of most birders Congkat, as I mentioned earlier. Now there was another crowd seen in Rengit. This is also the place where the Green broadbill was spotted. My personal experiences showed, they were seen in the same vicinity.
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