MALKOHA 5/6 - Chestnut-bellied Malkoha

Chestnut-bellied Malkoha

We must not mistaken Chestnut-bellied with the Chestnut-breasted Malkoha in name. Physically former looks almost the same as the Black-bellied in size and shape; slightly bigger by an inche or two. The eye patch is definitely larger and tangy orange skin face compared to the reddish of the Black-bellied. CBM is a  long bird at 40cm long due its long tail. Though looking like a Black-bellied the belly and under tail is actually chestnut and in poor lighting appears dark colored.

They are lowland birds  preferred coastal forest. I got a threesome at an estuary at Laguna Pulau Indah a coastal bakau forest. Sadly to say the landscape  is fast depleting in the advent of housing development.

Malkohas are gregarious in nature as it is in the cuckoo family but non-parasitic. Malkohas have a habit of staying motionless for a while as they tend to crawl and get concealed behind obstacles. Because of the relatively large size, they can be spotted easily. But getting a pictures of a full view bird is not easy but there are good chances if they are curious enough.

In Malaysia, they are forest birds but mostly stay at the forest edge or even open country. Most of them feed on insect but prefer hairy caterpillars like any other cuckoos. A food normally avoided by most birds.  Malkoha  are differentiated amongst them based on colour of its beak and bare skin around the eyes.
    

Most Malkohas is described as a  shy and restless but sprightly dweller who prefers tall forest canopy.  They take short flight. Malkohas looks clumsy  when manoeuvring through tangled twigs, creepers and foliage in search of grubs. Sometimes hopping from branch to branch to reach the top of a tree. From a vantage point , they tumble  directly to another point. Usually is short distances. While doing so the wings produce a soft hum.


 Malkohas 's nest is simple patch of twigs and leaves. The young are taken care of by both parents. The young can leave the nest before they could fly because they are skill climbers and has habit of creeping along branches.