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MikeBirder - Malaysian Birds

Hi

Welcome to my Malaysian Birding Blog. I migrated to blogspot.com as my blog at multiply.com closed shop in 2012. I wish to showcase all Malaysian birds that I have photographed whether here or overseas. My countdown of lifers started in 2005. Coming to Oct 2024 my countdown of lifers photograph has reached
577/688 species of birds of Malaysia in photos.

My shooting gear was a EF400mm f4 DO lens and Canon 7D body which to me is the ideal setup for mobility and bird chasing at that time. Eventhen the weight over my shoulder is more that 5.5 kg. As of June 2016 I have also acquired a Fuji XF 100-400mm OIS lens to complement my travelling cum birding trip overseas. My Fuji X-T2 went kaput recently and I upgraded to the X-T5 in 2023 ; the weight over my shoulder is much lighter now by 30%. In December 2018 I acquired the Nikon Coolpix P1000 as supplementary camera for distance shooting of 3000mm.
Fuji have finally made available their new XF 200-600mm lens which I yet to decide to spend another RM10,000. As for Fuji body I will stop with X-T5 36megapixel ..........

I am a weekend birder. Do feel free to drop me a line at mikebirding@gmail.com and I see whether you can tag along in my outings. My usual day trip is just an hour ride away to Hulu Langat, Lancang, Kemensah, Krau, Awana, Hulu Kali, Gombak Ole Road, Fraser's Hill , Bukit Tinggi and KSNP & Coastal Sg Janggut Jeram side of the coast . Overnite trip to Merapoh & Amp; Cameron, Air Hitam and further north to Kuala Sidim is a seldom affair but for lifer we travel. Panti in Johor is another good birding site that I yet to go. Then there are the Borneo birds of Sabah and Sarawak of Malaysia which I seriously much go to chalk up more lifers. This I did in 2018 to Sepilok Sandakan and Kinabalu Park. Next Danum and LahatDatu . In 2024 I visited a new happening birding spot inTalang Seremban.......

WARNING Birding is an addiction once you started its hard to stop. The wifey and children are now birding widow and orphan.

ALL PHOTOS IN THIS BLOG ARE COPYRIGHT OF MIKEBIRDER. KINDLY SEEK PERMISSION FROM THE OWNER IF YOU want to use them for commercial purposes.

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Sunday, 25 August 2013

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.

 









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