Chestnut-Bellied Malkoha

30th September 2012, Kemensah , Selangor

Local Name: Cenuk Kecil Scientific Name: Phaenicophaeus sumatranus Equipment: Nikon D7000, Nikkor AFS 400mm f2.8ED VR+TC20EIII

Portrait of a Chestnut-bellied Malkoha

2nd January 2011, Kemensah , Selangor

It has been more than a year since I last saw  this bird. She was on the ground, concentrating intently on catching a prey that she didn’t notice my presence hardly 12 ft away. Quickly snapped the first two pictures before losing sight of her in the undergrowth. Chestnut-bellied Malkohas are less commonly seen in Kemensah than the other species of malkoha namely the Green-billed, Chestnut-breasted, Raffle’s and the Black-bellied. It was a golden opportunity to improve on my previous photos of this bird that I decided to wait and see if she would reappear. Yes she definitely did! on a branch right above my head. The  orange eye patch is a distinct feature of this species. The chestnut coloured undertail covert  is clearly visible. Amazing to see the multitude of colours just around the head This is where she’s usually more comfortable, in between the leaves.

A Mixed Bag’O Birds

18th October 2009, Kemensah, Selangor For record purposes, these are the other birds photographed that day.

A Velvet-Fronted Nuthatch A  Malaysian Hawk-Cuckoo. I  don’t think it’s the same bird I shot a     fortnight ago. Chestnut-Bellied Malkoha.   Black-Winged Flycatcher-Shrike

Chestnut-Bellied Malkoha -in a different light.

5th September 2009, Kemensah, Selangor

Used to be quite difficult to find these birds but lately I’ve been bumping into the Chestnut-Bellied Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus sumatranus) quite regularly.

Chestnut-Bellied Malkoha

15 August 2009, Kemensah, Selangor

A  Chestnut-Bellied Malkoha (Rhopodytes sumatranus).