Green Iora

Overview

The green iora, Aegithina viridissima, is a small bird belonging to the family Aegithinidae. It is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN due to habitat loss in its native range.

Identification

• Length of 12–14 cm with a grey-blue bill and slaty blue feet.
• Males display dark olive upperparts, a yellow centre belly, black wings with two white wing-bars, and black lores with bright yellow 'eyelids'.
• Females have medium olive upperparts, olive-washed wings with yellow wing-bars, yellow lores, and a complete eye-ring.
• Contact calls include a whining, descending 'ji-sheur' or 'ji-wier'.

Habitat

Found in the canopy of lowland forests up to 820 m elevation, as well as in tall secondary forest, peat swamp forest, and mangrove forest. Its range covers Tenasserim, the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, and small neighbouring islands, though it is locally extinct in Singapore.

Diet

Feeds on invertebrates and regularly joins mixed-species foraging flocks.

Did you know?

Although generally sociable, the green iora is observed to engage in intense fighting.