Common Iora
Aegithina tiphia
The Common Iora (Aegithina tiphia) is a common iora found in 16 countries, weighing about 12 g. The common iora is a small passerine bird found across the tropical Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with populations showing plumage variations, some of which are designated as subspecies.
About the Common Iora
The common iora is a small passerine bird found across the tropical Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with populations showing plumage variations, some of which are designated as subspecies. A species found in scrub and forest, it is easily detected from its loud whistles and the bright colours. During the breeding season, males display by fluffing up their feathers and spiral in the air appearing like a green, black, yellow, and white ball.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Ioras have a pointed and notched beak with a culmen that is straight. The common iora is sexually dimorphic, males in the breeding season have a black cap and back adding to a black wing and tail at all seasons. Females have greenish wings and an olive tail. The undersides of both are yellow and the two white bars on the wings of the male are particularly prominent in their breeding plumage. The males in breeding plumage have a very variable distribution of the black on the upperparts and can be confused with Marshall's iora, however, the latter always has white tips to the tail.
What the Common Iora sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
The Common Iora can be seen all year round, with peak activity in February. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Common Iora?
- Ioras have a pointed and notched beak with a culmen that is straight. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Common Iora?
- The Common Iora is a tiny sized bird weighing about 12 g.
- Where can you see a Common Iora?
- The Common Iora occurs in 16 countries, including India, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.
- What does a Common Iora sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Common Iora on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Common Iora?
- The Common Iora is most easily confused with the Green Iora, the Great Iora and the Marshall's Iora.
- Is the Common Iora endangered?
- The Common Iora is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Common Iora for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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