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From the family of Coraciidae Malaysian Birds Dollarbird Dollarbirds belong to small family of birds under this heading. Worldwide there are 12 species of these birds. Medium size with a large head coupled with a stout bill. They both are strong flier capable of performing acrobatic stunts like rolling and tumbling. Their favorite food is flying insects which they would capture in mid-air and doing sorties from an exposed position that they have chosen. With the stout bill they could hunt for reptiles and small animal. Overall they are better known for their act of flying in the air rather than the prominent stout bills used for hunting. Worldwide there 12 species there are 12 species from this family and among which 2 can be found in South-east Asia. In Malaysia both can be seen. Among the 2 birds mentioned, only the Dollarbirds is seen. More often in certain months, at other times hardly noticed. I recent years the number of Dollarbirds sighted is also getting smaller. The Indian Roller is hardly a visitor to Malaysia. If at all seen, would be in the northern states. In contrast with the sightings of the Dollarbirds, the Roller, at least one bird, is seen in Taiping regularly during the year end migratory months. Dollarbird's picture No. 1
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My personal jottings on the Dollarbird :- The Dollarbird is most commonly seen alone as a single bird and in pair, when they are breeding. In Malaysia more frequently seen during the second quarter of the year. Rest of the time, there could be an isolated vagrants. The bird adopt an upright posture giving significance to a silhouette on a bare branch or wire most time in some high places. From this which the bird prefers, he would momentarily leave the perch, grabs the insect and returns to the same perch almost immediately. Dollarbirds prefers hard shell flying insects on the wing. Their regular feeding habits. At times they do come to the ground for insects and lizards from on the ground. These food are brought back to branches where they perch and then slowly consumed.
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