Chloropsis moluccensis
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
The blue-winged leafbird (Chloropsis moluccensis) is a species of leafbird found in forest and second growth throughout Southeast Asia as far east as Borneo and as far south as southern Sumatra. It previously included Jerdon's leafbird (C. jerdoni) from the Indian subcontinent, and the Bornean leafbird (C. kinabaluensis) from northern Borneo as subspecies, but differs from both in measurements and morphology, with Jerdon's lacking any blue to the flight feathers, and Bornean having a distinctive male-like female plumage. The Javan leafbird (C. cochinchinensis), which is endemic to Java, was also formerly grouped with the species, but more recent phylogenetic studies have split both. The distribution of the blue-winged and the Bornean leafbird are known to approach each other, but there is no evidence of intergradation.
The male is green-bodied with a yellow-tinged head, black face and throat. It has a blue moustachial line. The female differs in that it has a greener head and blue throat, and young birds are like the female but without the blue throat patch.
It is common to fairly common throughout most of its range, and therefore considered to be of least concern by BirdLife International. The superficially similar golden-fronted leafbird lacks blue in the flight feathers and tail, and has a golden forehead.
As in other leafbirds, the call of the blue-winged leafbird consists of a rich mixture of imitations of the calls of various other species of birds. Their wings are blue because cells in their feathers have gyroid crystals. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Khao Yai National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 2 | Cat Tien National Park | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 3 | Kaeng Krachan National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 4 | Khao Luang National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 5 | Taman Negara National Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 6 | Cuc Phuong National Park | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 7 | Namdapha National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 8 | Khao Sok National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 9 | Doi Inthanon National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kuala Lumpur | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 2 | Singapore | 🇸🇬 Singapore |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Disney's Animal Kingdom | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | California Academy of Sciences | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 4 | Edward Youde Aviary | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Blue-winged Leafbird sighting in Kuala Lumpur on a given day, based on 27 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 54th most-seen of the 228 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January and September–November
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Blue-winged Leafbird in Kuala Lumpur on a given day, against under 5% in June and August, the lowest months.
Between 3 and 6 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Blue-winged Leafbird sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Yes
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Blue-winged Leafbird sightings, Kuala Lumpur has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Singapore (Singapore, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Blue-winged Leafbird is recorded against all the birds logged in Kuala Lumpur (27 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
