Silver-breasted Broadbill

Overview

The silver-breasted broadbill (Serilophus lunatus) is a medium-sized bird species within the family Eurylaimidae. It is distributed across parts of Southeast Asia, with seven currently recognised subspecies.

Identification

• Medium-sized broadbill measuring 16–17 cm in length and weighing 25–35 g.
• Nominate race features a rusty head, ash-grey forehead, and a broad black supercilium.
• Bright rufous rump and upper wing coverts contrast with striking blue and black flight feathers and a black tail.
• White breast and belly, with females possessing a narrow silver band across the breast.

Habitat

Found in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam, this species inhabits subtropical or tropical moist lowland and montane forests. It occupies diverse forest types, including semi-deciduous and forests dominated by pine, oak, and bamboo, and may also occur in selectively logged forests or agricultural land. Elevation ranges vary by region, from 300–700 m in China to 800–2,000 m in Sumatra.

Diet

The silver-breasted broadbill feeds primarily on invertebrates such as grasshoppers, mantises, caterpillars, larvae, and small land snails. Foraging behaviour involves flycatching from a perch as well as gleaning branches and foliage.

Did you know?

The specific epithet 'lunatus' is Latin for 'crescent-shaped' or 'sickle-shaped', derived from the word for 'moon'.