Identification:
Adult: Plumage is dark greenish-yellow. Head and nape are black, with two pale yellow streaks on the sides of the nape. The face, throat, and collar are saffron yellow. Primary and secondary wing feathers are black and green, with a white streak visible during flight. The tail feathers are long and narrow, dark green above and black below.
Juvenile: Darker in color with a green head.
Biology and Ecology:
Nest: The nest is gourd-shaped and slightly elongated, with an entrance on one side. It is suspended by a fiber cord at the end of a small branch on large trees. Nesting materials include dry leaves, grass, vines, and bark fibers.
Reproduction: Each brood contains 4-8 eggs, with white shells speckled with rust-colored spots (Baker, 1926). Nest and fledglings were observed in July in Lạng Sơn (Hữu Lũng).
Diet: Primarily insects.
Habitat: The species is sedentary and nests in dense forests at altitudes of approximately 1500 – 1800 meters. It is commonly found foraging and nesting in the upper canopy of the forest.
Distribution:
Vietnam: From the Vietnam-China border to Thừa Thiên – Huế province. The southern Central Highlands is the distribution area for the second subspecies (Psarisomus dalhousiae divinus).
World: Himalayas, Myanmar, Southern China, Indochina, Thailand.
Value:
A valuable genetic resource. Of scientific and aesthetic value.
Status:
Habitat is being impacted, with a serious decline in population and it is rarely seen. Threat level: T (Threatened).
Recommended Conservation Measures:
Similar to other broadbills, this is a valuable bird species that needs appropriate conservation measures. Forest exploitation should be prohibited in areas where this species is distributed.