Velvet Asity Philepitta castanea Scientific name definitions

14–16·5 cm. Plump, rounded, almost tailless, with short, slightly decurved bill, short legs. Adult male breeding plumage , acquired through loss of yellow tips of body and wing-covert feathers, is black except for a yellow patch on marginal underwing-coverts and on alula, sometimes a few yellow fringes on head; wing and tail feathers usually dark brown; a large, bright pale green supra­orbital wattle , extending into a horn over base of bill, wattle with a narrow blue line  over eye; eyes dark brown; bill black, gape yellow or grey; legs and feet dull greenish-olive. Non-breeding adult male has most feathers (especially wing-coverts, breast and belly feathers) tipped yellow ; vestigial wattle  , dull flesh in colour. Adult female has dark olive-green upperparts, a few paler feathers over ear-coverts; ear-coverts darker olive-green, marked with a pale creamy stripe originating at base of bill; moustachial stripe similar to ear-coverts in coloration; tail and wings brown with olive tinge, wing feathers fringed yellow-green; below, pale yellow-green or off-white, streaked darker olive, belly and vent clearer yellowish-green with streaks less conspicuous; eyes dark brown, bare circumorbital skin dull olive; bill black, narrow yellowish or pink gape-line, dull yellow gape; legs and feet olive. Juvenile is very similar to adult female; subadult male shows varying amounts of black plumage, acquired during 2nd calendar-year.

Rainforest belt in E Madagascar, from Manongarivo and Tsaratanana Massifs in NW and just S of Daraina in N, S to Andohahela National Park.

Primary rainforest, adjacent degraded and secondary rainforest, and forest edge; visits flowering or fruiting trees, e.g. stands of guava (Psidium cattleyanum), close to forest edge or in adjacent second growth. Often in areas of open understorey in valley sides and bottoms. Recorded at low and middle altitudes; probably most common between 600 m and 1400 m, scarce below 400 m and above 1600 m, and absent from montane sclerophyllous forest.

None known.

Mostly frugivorous  ; eats small (c. 5–10 mm diameter) red or orange fruits of understorey shrubs; most important families are Rubiaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Piperaceae and Melastomataceae, and plant genera include especially Oncostemum, also Psychotria, Jasminium, Macaranga, Pittosporum, Chassalia. Food brought to nestlings include fruits of Tambourissa spp. and Aphloya theaformis shrubs (1 Rakotomanana, H. and Rene de Roland, L.-A. (2007). Breeding ecology of the endemic, Madagascan, Velvet Asity Philepitta castanea. Ornithological Science. 6(2): 79–85. Close ). Seasonally, also takes nectar from terrestrial and shrub-layer species, e.g. Bakerella. Arthropods taken occasionally. Forages in canopy and down to lower levels; hops on forest floor. Fruits picked directly from perch, or plucked during brief hover. Joins mixed-species flocks, mostly in Jun–Sept.

Weak squeaky calls  ; rhythmic, repeated “whee-doo”, first syllable strongly stressed; also long series of “weet” notes, often by lekking males.

Laying in Sept–Dec; from end Aug in N. Polygynous (1 Rakotomanana, H. and Rene de Roland, L.-A. (2007). Breeding ecology of the endemic, Madagascan, Velvet Asity Philepitta castanea. Ornithological Science. 6(2): 79–85. Close ). Dispersed leks in which each male has small, non-resource-based territory; erect posture and wing-flap display directed at females, with horizontal, open-gape and hanging-gape displays and flipping around perch used between males. Nest built by female, an elongated sphere made of moss and bamboo, entrance hole adorned with a “porch”, suspended from lowermost branches of low tree (very often Tambourissa) at 2–5 m, often over a stream or path. Clutch 3 eggs; male takes little or no part in incubation or care of young. Nestling period c. 17 days (1 Rakotomanana, H. and Rene de Roland, L.-A. (2007). Breeding ecology of the endemic, Madagascan, Velvet Asity Philepitta castanea. Ornithological Science. 6(2): 79–85. Close ).

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Fairly common in most remaining E rainforest blocks, and not immediately threatened. Also capable of tolerating some habitat degradation. Probably a principal agent in dispersal of seeds of understorey shrubs. Occurs in all protected areas within its range, e.g. Ranomafana , Andringitra and Andohahela National Parks, Anjanaharibe-sud Special Reserve, and Perinet Special Reserve.