Banded Broadbill Eurylaimus javanicus Scientific name definitions

The Banded Broadbill is a large, brightly plumaged broadbill of South-East Asia’s forests, ranging from Indochina and southern Thailand, south over the Malay Peninsula, and onto the Greater Sundaic islands of Borneo, Sumatra, and Java. Its presence is usually first betrayed by the species’ remarkably loud song—an explosive wheooo followed by a cicada-like trill—as the bird’s sluggish behavior makes it otherwise inconspicuous, despite this broadbill’s bright purple-red plumage, black-and-yellow wing markings, and almost comical-looking, large turquoise-blue bill. Furthermore, the species’ relatively bulky, untidy nest (often larger than 90 cm in length!) is often easy to spot, suspended high in tall trees. Although not as threatened by habitat loss as its two Philippine congenerics, some populations of Banded Broadbill deserve additional conservation attention, especially that on Java (recently afforded species status by another global checklist) where less than 10% of original lowland forest remains.