Javan Green-Magpie Cissa thalassina Scientific name definitions

31 cm; c. 125 g. Distinctive and striking green magpie with comparatively short, bluntly graduated tail, slightly elongated rear crown feathers, rather prominent bill, nostrils concealed by soft plumes (not bristles); green, yellow and reddish colours of plumage bleach to, respectively, dull light blue, whitish and brown if exposed to prolonged bright sunlight. Adult has prominent black band from base of bill across sides of head, enclosing eye and crossing under slight crest on nape; rest of head, body plumage, scapulars, lesser upperwing-coverts and upperside of tail pale green, yellower on crown and underparts; remainder of wing reddish chestnut, tertials pale green with narrowly black-edged paler tips, outer tail feathers with diffuse whitish tips; iris dark brown, crimson orbital ring; bill red; legs bright red to orange-red. Sexes similar. Juvenile has duller, browner bill and legs, and tail feathers more pointed than those of adult.

W Java.

Inhabits narrow belt of submontane and montane rainforest in foothills, at altitudes of 500–2000 m.

Few data. Known to take insects. Stomach contents included mostly invertebrates, e.g. snails, astacid crayfish (Decapoda), pill bugs (Isopoda), cockroaches (Blattidae), grasshoppers (Orthoptera), beetles (of families Scarabaeidae, Curculionidae, Cetoniidae, Cerambycidae, Elateridae), cicadas (Homoptera), caterpillars (Lepidoptera), large ants (Formicidae); vertebrates, e.g. small birds, lizards (including their eggs), tree-frogs and snakes, made up a large part of stomach contents in first three months of year, largely coinciding with breeding season (1 van Balen, S. (B.), J. A. Eaton and F. E. Rheindt (2013). Biology, taxonomy and conservation status of the Short-tailed Green Magpie Cissa [t.] thalassina from Java. Bird Conservation International. 23(1):93–109. Close ). Usually seen in pairs, occasionally alone; joins mixed-species foraging parties. Forages on ground and in vegetation up to middle and upper levels.

Reported as giving high metallic “tink” calls in short series (up to five), and nasal metallic “ekek gelíng”; also a whistled “whirr” and “whirr-eh” (2 Eaton, J. A., B. van Balen, N. W. Brickle, and F. E. Rheindt (2016). Birds of the Indonesian Archipelago: Greater Sundas and Wallacea. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Close ).

Breeding appears to take place throughout year, but particularly in months with highest rainfall (Oct–Apr) (1 van Balen, S. (B.), J. A. Eaton and F. E. Rheindt (2013). Biology, taxonomy and conservation status of the Short-tailed Green Magpie Cissa [t.] thalassina from Java. Bird Conservation International. 23(1):93–109. Close ). Nest well built, base of branches on which cup made from stalks or thin branches, with tendrils and twigs, intertwined with dry leaves, lined with thin rootlets, petioles and the like, externally 80 mm tall, 170–180 mm wide, internally 65 mm deep and 110 mm across, placed 2·5–6 m up in tree fork close to trunk. Clutch 1–2 eggs, described as oval and moderately glossy, yellowish white with few grey-violet primary stains, entire surface with uniformly distributed smaller reddish-yellow secondary stains (3 Kuschel, M. (1895). Zur Oologie Javas. Orn. Monatsb. 3: 153–156. Close ). No further information.

CRITICALLY ENDANGERED. Restricted-range species: present in Java and Bali forest EBA. Not at all well known, being confined to areas of submontane and montane rainforest between 500 m and 2000 m in W & C Java. Paucity of recent records suggests population of (perhaps many) fewer than 250 mature individuals. Population suspected to have undergone a decline of 50–79% over past three generations (20 years) and expected to decline further by 30–49% over next three generations. Moderately popular cagebird in Java, but formerly much more frequently traded. In Java, most forest below 1000 m, and in some areas up to 1500 m, has been cleared. Now known from just 18 localities. Appears to have been extirpated from several areas in which it was recorded in first half of 20th century: Jampang Kulon (not protected), Mt Slamat Protection Forest and North Parahyangan Protection Forest/Nature Reserve. On basis of total area of localities at which this species has been recorded since 2000, Area of Occupancy is estimated at 1680 km². Recorded in four protected areas: Mt Merapi (IUCN Cat. II; 64 km²), Mts Halimun-Salak (IUCN Cat. II; 1134 km²) and Mts Gede-Pangrango/Megamendung (IUCN Cat. II; 220 km²) National Parks, and South Parahyangan Protection Forest/Nature Reserve. A captive-breeding programme is ongoing at Cikananga Wildlife Center, in Sukabumi, Java, with a few pairs in other zoos in Bogor, the Czech Republic and UK. There is an urgent need to intensify awareness-raising activities within and around protected areas to reduce trapping pressure and encroachment, and among the wider public to discourage trade in the species (1 van Balen, S. (B.), J. A. Eaton and F. E. Rheindt (2013). Biology, taxonomy and conservation status of the Short-tailed Green Magpie Cissa [t.] thalassina from Java. Bird Conservation International. 23(1):93–109. Close ).