Orange-bellied Leafbird (Chloropsis hardwickii)

OTHER NAMES: Hardwicke's Leafbird, Orange-belled Chloropsis

Latin Etymology: Chloropsis ("green-like") hardwickii ("Hardwick's")

Female Orange-bellied Leafbird (subspecies C. h. malayana) at Genting Highlands, Malaysia - July 2016

Featured Subspecies: Chloropsis hardwickii malayensis
Weight: 25-40g  /  Length: 19-21cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The leafbirds are a family of birds unique to the "Indomalayan Ecozone" - an area which stretches from Afghanistan to New Guinea and the Philippines, and the Orange-bellied is a fairly typical example of the group: a bird of approximately thrush like proportions and bright leafy green upperparts.  The male, as is often the cast, is the more spectacularly coloured of the sexes with a much more distinctive orange-yellow belly of the namesake, plus indigo and electric blue feathering. Their curved beak is specialised for feeding on insects, spiders and nectar.

Related Species:
ORDER: Passeriformes
FAMILY: Chloropseidae
GENUS: Chloropsis
SUBSPECIES: C. h. hardwickii, C. h. malayana, C. h. melliana, C. h. lazuliana 

 - Sighting Locations -

MALAYSIA - Malay - Burung Daun Perut Oren ("Orange-stomach Leaf Bird")

A locally common resident.

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: A single bird at Genting Highlands 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto