Myophonus caeruleus is commonly known as chirping chicken and black spirit. The main feature is that the whole body feathers are dark blue-purple, the apex of each feather has bright purple drip spots, and the mouth and feet are black. The bird is black from a distance and purple from close range, inhabiting the rocks of rocky mountain streams, often moving in pairs, often chasing each other in the bushes, flying and singing, and the sound is loud and short like the sound of a piano.
Brief introduction
Species information: body length about 32 cm. The whole body is bluish-black , with only the wing covert feathers having a few light-colored spots. The wings and tail are stained with purple sparkle, and the tip of the head and neck has glittering small pinnae. The subspecies differ in detail. The nominate subspecies has a black beak ; temminckii and eugenei have a yellow beak ; and the temminckii has white feathers. The iris is brown; the mouth is yellow or black; the feet are black. Flute sounds and imitates the sounds of other birds. When the alarm is alarmed, a sharp high-pitched eer-ee-ee is emitted, like a swallowtail, and when frightened, it flees to the cover and emits a sharp alarm call. It inhabits rocky outcrops near rivers, streams or dense forests. Ground feeding, feeding on insects and small crabs, eating berries and other plants, mainly eating insects in the mountains. Breeds in April-June and nests between rock crevices, on tree forks or on beams of temples on a hill. The nest is cup-shaped and consists of moss, whisker roots, and residual leaves. Each clutch lays 4 eggs, pure green, or yellow-green, with fine red spots of varying shades. It is found from Turkey to India and China, Southeast Asia, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Java. It is commonly found in mountain forests at mid-altitude altitudes up to 3650 m. The subspecies temminckii is a resident bird in southern and southeastern Tibet; eugenei is a resident bird in southwest China; and the nominate subspecies is a resident bird in eastern northern China, central China, east China, south China and southeast China. The shape is characterized by the body length of the purple howlingbird about 32 cm. The whole body is bluish-black , with only the wing covert feathers having a few light-colored spots. The wings and tail are stained with purple sparkle, and the tip of the head and neck has glittering small pinnae. The subspecies differ in detail. The nominate subspecies has a black beak ; temminckii and eugenei have a yellow beak ; and the temminckii has white feathers. The iris is brown; the mouth is yellow or black; the feet are black. Flute sounds and imitates the sounds of other birds. Males and females have similar body feathers. The upper body from the forehead to the back, the sides of the head and neck, the lower body from the chin to the upper abdomen are dark blue, each feather has a brighter lilac drip-like spot, the waist, lower abdomen, upper and lower tail coverts are black brown, the wings and tail are mostly black and brown, and the surface is dark purple blue, the wings and tail are mostly black brown and the surface is dark purple blue, and the middle ventral feathers are mixed with purple-white dots.
Habits of life
When the alarm is alarmed, a sharp high-pitched eer-ee-ee is emitted, like a swallowtail, and when frightened, it flees to the cover and emits a sharp alarm call. Perched in rocky outcrops near rivers, streams or dense forests, it flees to cover in panic and makes a shrill alarm cry. Ground feeding, feeding on insects and small crabs, eating berries and other plants, mainly eating insects in the mountains. Breeds in April-June and nests between rock crevices, on tree forks or on beams of temples on a hill. The nest is cup-shaped and consists of moss, whisker roots, and residual leaves. Each clutch lays 4 eggs, pure green, or yellow-green, with fine red spots of varying shades. It is found from Turkey to India and China, Southeast Asia, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Java. It is commonly found in mountain forests at mid-altitude altitudes up to 3650 m. The subspecies temminckii is a resident bird in southern and southeastern Tibet; eugenei is a resident bird in southwest China; and the nominate subspecies is a resident bird in eastern northern China, central China, east China, south China and southeast China. The bird inhabits a similar habitat to the diphtheria (blue-headed) rocky grebe. Good singing, the male birds during the breeding period are very beautiful.
Grow and reproduce
Nests are nested under grass piles, on rock sheds or between stone crevices, or under eaves, and some are built on branches, mixed with moss with reed stems and leaves to create large cup-shaped nests. About 4 eggs are laid per clutch, and the eggs are pale green, or yellow-green or light brown, mixed with fine red spots of varying shades.
Distribution range
It is found from Turkey to India and China, Southeast Asia, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Java. It is commonly found in mountain forests at mid-altitude altitudes up to 3650 m. The subspecies temminckii is a resident bird in southern and southeastern Tibet; eugenei is a resident bird in southwest China; and the nominate subspecies is a resident bird in eastern northern China, central China, east China, south China and southeast China.
