Bornean Bristlehead

Overview

The Bornean bristlehead (Pityriasis gymnocephala) is an enigmatic and vulnerable passerine that constitutes the sole member of its family, Pityriasidae. It is endemic to the island of Borneo, where it inhabits small groups within the rainforest canopy.

Identification

• Medium-sized bird, c. 25 cm long, with a massive heavy black hooked bill and a short tail that create a chunky appearance.
• Mostly black plumage featuring bright red thighs, head, throat, and neck, along with grey ear-coverts and red flank patches visible in some individuals.
• Distinctive featherless deep yellow crown covered in short bristle-like skin projections, giving a bald appearance from afar, and a white wing-patch at the base of the primaries visible in flight.
• Noisy bird producing a variety of unmusical calls, including high-pitched nasal whining notes, chattering, whistles, honks, and chortles.

Habitat

Endemic to Borneo, where the species is widespread but generally sparse and patchy, though it can be locally common. It mainly inhabits lowlands but also occurs in hilly areas up to 1,200 m above sea level. It is found in the canopy of primary and secondary forests, including peat swamp, mixed dipterocarp, and mangrove forests.

Diet

This bird feeds primarily on animal prey, mainly large insects and other arthropods, but also consumes small vertebrates such as lizards and frogs. It gleans prey from foliage, twigs, branches, and trunks at canopy to mid-levels and occasionally takes fruits.

Did you know?

The species' unique featherless crown is covered in short bristle-like skin projections that give it a dandruff-like appearance, inspiring its scientific genus name Pityriasis, derived from the Greek word for having dandruff.