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Eurylaemus javanicus and ochromelas - Broadbills


Fauna of India (Birds) vol iii 1895 - by W. T. Blanford

Page 03
 

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Eurylaemus javanicusHorsfield's Broadbill

Eurylaimus javanicus, Horsfield, Trans. Linn. Soc. xiii, p.170 (1821), Blyth, cat. p.195; Horsf.& M. Cat. p.116
Eurylaemus javanicus, Blyth, Birds Burm. p.125; Hume, S.F.ii

Horsfield's Broadbill

Fig. 3 - Eurylaemus javanicus  Horsfield's Broadbill

Coloration: Male. Whole head and neck deep purplish red, lores blackish, crown and nape very dark, ear-coverts much brighter; a very narrow white line below the eye; hind neck brownish, back and upper tail-coverts mixed black and bright yellow, basal portion of interscapulary feathers white; wings black, each primary with a yellow spot at the base, each secondary with a long yellow spot on the outer web, inner webs of all quills whitish near the base; tail black, all feathers except the middle pair with a subterminal fulvous white spot or band. Lower parts vinaceous red, the throat washed with dusky bronze, a narrow black band across the breast and a distinctly bronzed gorget behind it, lower breast and abdomen brighter red; under wing-coverts mostly yellow, edge of wing the same, thigh-coverts dark brown. Female, similar, but without the black pectoral band.

Young birds have the head and nape yellowish brown, the shafts of the feathers brighter yellow; lower plumage yellowish throughout. Upper mandible bright blue to within one-third of tip; rest of upper mandible pale sea-green; lower mandible pale greenish blue; both mandibles edged and tipped with brownish red; irides bright blue; legs and feet fleshy; claws brown (Davison).

Size: Length 9 inches; tail 2.9; wing 4.3; tarsus 1; bill from gape 1.6. The female is slightly smaller.
 

Distribution: Karennee; Tenasserim as far north as Moulmein, probably farther north on the hills to the eastward; Malay peninsula, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo.

Habits: This species feeds on insects and small reptiles, and has the typical habits of the family, living in forests in small parties. Davison found it breeding near Bankasun in March; the nest was a massive structure composed of moss, fibres, roots, dry leaves, bits of wood, and small twigs, suspended to the extreme tip of a very tall bamboo overhanging a stream. Two fresh eggs were in the nest, dull white, thickly speckled with minute spots of dusky brown, more thickly towards the large end: size 1.09 by 0.76.


Eurylaemus ochromelasBlack and yellow Broadbill
 

Eurylaimus ochromalus, Raffles, Trans. Linn. Soc. xiii, p.297 (1822); Blyth, cat. p.195; Horsf.&  M.cat. p.116
Eurylaemus ochromelas, Blyth, Birds Burm. p.125; Hume, S.F.ii, p.470; id. cat.no. 139 ter Hume & Dav. S.F.vi, p.91; Oates, B.B.i, p.426; Sclater, Cat. B.M. xiv, p.465; Hartert, J f. Orn. 1889, pp.358, 391

Coloration: Male. Whole head black, except a few white feathers below each eye. A white collar round the neck, narrow behind. Upper parts from neck black, with a bright yellow stripe down the middle of the back, rump, and upper tail-coverts, and a shorter stripe on each side on the outer scapulars; basal portion of interscapulary feathers white; middle of outer webs of secondary quills yellow; near the base almost all wing-feathers have a whitish inner border. A small yellowish spot on each primary near the base; tail-feathers with a subterminal yellowish-white spot on inner web, becoming a band on the outer feathers; a broad black gorget below the white collar, lower breast and abdomen pale vinous purple; under wing-. and tail-coverts, vent, flanks, and edge of wing yellow; thigh-coverts black. Female, similar, but the black gorget is interrupted in the middle.

The young have the forehead and supercilia yellowish white; the throat whitish, breast and abdomen yellowish grey. Lower mandible and base of upper bright smalt-blue, rest of upper mandible bright green; edges of both mandibles black; irides bright yellow; legs and feet dark but fleshy-pink; claws brown (Davison).

Size: Length 6.5;  tail 2.2;  wing 3.3;  tarsus 0.8;  bill from gape 1.1

Distribution: South Tenasserim as far north as Yay, Malay peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo.
 

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