BirdAmp
Javan Leafbird (Chloropsis cochinchinensis)

Javan Leafbird

Chloropsis cochinchinensis

Endangered

Overview

The Javan leafbird (Chloropsis cochinchinensis) is a species of leafbird found in old-growth and second-growth forests in Java. It is classified as Endangered by the IUCN Red List, largely due to overexploitation for the Asian songbird trade. The species was formerly considered conspecific with the widespread blue-winged leafbird.

Habitat

This species inhabits old-growth and second-growth forests in Java. It is primarily a lowland-dwelling bird, and its entire range is accessible to trappers, placing it at high risk of severe overexploitation.

Did you know?

Although named after Cochinchina, a historical name for Vietnam, the Javan leafbird was formally described by Johann Friedrich Gmelin based on a description by the French polymath Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, and is actually found in Java. Its popularity as a cage bird skyrocketed recently after the greater green leafbird became exceptionally sought after, leading to reports of the species disappearing from previously occupied sites even where habitat remained unchanged.

Sources