Bird Guide

Blue-faced Malkoha vs Green-billed Malkoha

Blue-faced Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus viridirostris)

Blue-faced Malkoha

Phaenicophaeus viridirostris

Medium67 gWoodland

A largish species at 39 cm, its back and head are dark grey with an oily green or blue gloss, and the dark tail has graduated feathers tipped with white. The belly is pale ochre to grey. The feathers of the chin and throat are branched (unlike in Phaenicophaeus tristis) with the branched tips being pointed and slightly yellowish giving the throat a streaked and spiny appearance. There is a large blue patch around the eye, with a white fringed red iris, and the bill is apple green. The sexes are indistinguishable by external appearance.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Rison Thumboor from Thrissur, India · CC BY 2.0
Green-billed Malkoha (Phaenicophaeus tristis)

Green-billed Malkoha

Phaenicophaeus tristis

Medium117 gForest

Green-billed malkoha is about 50–60 cm long and weighs 100–128 g. It often has a clear white boarder to the red face patch salty grey on the face and neck. Adult green-billed malkoha has dark grey with green gloss above, oily green wings.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Shiv's fotografia · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Blue-faced Malkoha and Green-billed Malkoha.