This Blue-faced Malkoha tested my manual focussing skills during my last trip to Yala National Park. A cuckoo family member, it is not brood-parasitic as most of its other relatives, but builds its own nest. In Sri Lanka it is found in the more sylvan parts of the dry and intermediate zones.
13 comments:
Never seen that bird before!
Thats such a GORGEOUS bird Amila. How do you come across these ? You really must have some impeccable level of attention to detail... What a wonderfull ability/ talent to spot/capture in pictures these amazing creatures...
You should have focused at her eye. Am I right?
Hi K,
Perhaps that is because it frequents thickets like that...
Hi Nat,
Thanks a lot!
It is not the easiest bird to photograph, as it has a habit of melting away in the vegetation. As this was shot during the dry season, most of the shrubs were devoid of leaves. As a result it did not have enough cover and I was able to see through the thicket.
Hi Rainfield,
Yep, that's what I did. If the eye is not sharp it usually ends it the bin, in my case.
Now that is a very unique looking bird. Love the white rimmed eye.
Hi Chriss,
Actually that area around the eye is a light blue, which earns this bird its vernacular, Blue-faced Malkoha.
Yes, it really skulks around doesn't it? We saw it while going in search of the pitta actually.
Check out this picture by Arun -
http://madraswanderer.blogspot.com/2008/03/tracking-indian-pitta-at-iit.html
Never seen this Malkoha.
This picture very well represent how difficult to photograph birds in nature.
Very good effort!.
i got some nice close ups of these guys a while back at udawalawe at one of the wildlife department bungalows. can't remember the name but it's the one that is walking distance to the river. 3 or 4 of them were busy eating some bugs or something on a small tree just outside the window.
What a fantastic blog this! I am hoping to visit Sri Lanka in the near future...this is a great resource.
Hi Flowergirl,
It does...I have better shots of this from the same encounter, but they are the sort of shot that you often see. I thought of sharing THIS ONE, because it captures its typical behaviour.
Interesting link...I have commented.
Hi Tabib,
Thanks! I am envious that you have so many Malkohas over there.
Hi mboi,
Good to know that. I have camped there twice...GREAT spot for jungle birding!
Hi Faine,
Thanks and good to hear that!
Hope you will have a good time when you visit SL.
the ever elusive Blue-faced :) well done
Hi Sach,
I have a decent shot of a Red-faced Malkoha, doing the disappearing act at Sinharaja. All I need now is a Sirkeer Malkoha doing that thing, to complete the set.
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