Animalia Life

Philepitta castanea
SUBFAMILY
Philepittinae
TAXONOMY
Turdus castanea P.L.S. Muller, 1776, Madagascar.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
French: Philйpitte veloutйe; German: Seidenjala; Spanish: Asitis de Terciopelo.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
5.5–6.5 in (14–16.5 cm); 1.1–1.3 oz (31.5–37 g). Breeding male: almost completely black with greenish caruncle over each eye and blue stripe between caruncle and eye. Female: olive-green with pale yellow blotches on underparts.
DISTRIBUTION
Eastern Madagascar.
HABITAT
Understory, lower levels of canopy, and occasionally in the canopy of primary rainforest, degraded or logged forest, and in secondary forest; from sea level up to 5,900 ft (1,800 m).
BEHAVIOR
Often forages in small groups or pairs, but sometimes alone. May also join mixed-species flocks.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Primarily frugivorous (e.g., Melastomataceae, Pittosporaceae, and Rubiaceae), but also feeds on nectar and insects.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Breeds July–January; northern birds breed earlier than southern birds. Pear-shaped nest, woven of moss and palm fibers and lined with leaves, is hung from a low branch in a shaded location. Usually lays three white eggs. Only the female has been observed to incubate, but both males and females have been recorded feeding young.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened, and common in suitable habitat. However, loss of rainforest habitat in Madagascar may threaten its longterm persistence.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.

Other popular Animals