Family Crows and Jays (Corvidae)
Vulnerable
Sri Lanka Blue Magpie (Urocissa ornata)
Taxonomy
French: Pirolle de Ceylan German: Schmuckkitta Spanish: Urraca cingalesa
Taxonomy:
Pica ornata
Wagler
, 1829,“India orientali” = Sri Lanka
.Distribution:
SW Sri Lanka.
Descriptive notes
40–47 cm; one bird 196 g. Unmistakable, gaudy forest magpie with rather prominent bill, nostrils concealed by soft plumes (not bristles), wide area of bare skin about... read more
Voice
Noisy. Presence often first indicated by contact call, a loud, repeated, metallic "chink-chink... read more
Habitat
Tropical broadleaf evergreen forest, including edges of tea plantations. Occurs from as low as 50 m... read more
Food and feeding
Chiefly carnivorous; prey items include wide variety of invertebrates, especially crickets (Orthoptera), beetles (Coleoptera), caterpillars... read more
Breeding
Season mid-Jan to late Mar. Solitary breeder. Nest of sticks and twigs, lined with fine roots and beard-like lichens (resembles that of... read more
Movements
Sedentary.
Status and conservation
VULNERABLE. Restricted-range species: present in Sri Lanka EBA. Locally fairly common. Although quite common in some places, parties have very large foraging areas, and... read more
Monotypic.