Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Encounter with a rare Malkoha

Red-billed Malkoha (Zanclostomus javanicus) - "Cenok Api" - Malay
It is not common to stumble upon the Red-billed Malkoha in Sarawak.  This is because it is one of  the very rare malkoha on this big island of Borneo. The rarest of malkoha is the Chestnut-bellied Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus sumatranus), the Red-billed comes second.  It was therefore  a fortunate encounter I had on the 12th of January this year. The Red-billed Malkoha produced a muted call which sounded like "oak,oak,oak,oak,oak" repeated many times. What is appealing about the bird is its red bill and rufous lores, chin, throat and breast.  The orangish colour is in striking contrast with the greenery of the jungle.  Its long tail is dark bluish green.  I am looking forward to more sightings of the Red-billed Malkoha at the Kambatik Park, Bintulu in order to have better images of the bird.  For more images of the Chestnut-breasted Malkoha sighted at the Kambatik Park please follow this link ...>>>http://mybirdingsarawak.blogspot.my/search/label/Malcoha

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