Long-Tailed Broadbill

Nepal is rich in biodiversity and natural resources. From a geographical point of view, beautiful birds of various species can be seen in the Terai, hilly, and Himalayan terrains of Nepal. In the winter and summer, different migratory birds from different countries come to various wetlands in the country. A total of 892 species of birds have been recorded in Nepal so far. Among them is the Long-tailed broadbill (Psarisomus dalhousiae), which is known as Chitrakut in Nepali. This is a songbird that belongs to the Eurylaimidae family. It is the only bird that belongs to the genus Psarisomus. These birds are usually seen foraging in small herds. Shy by nature, it usually hides among the leaves of trees, so it is very difficult to spot it. Research on this bird in Nepal has been done and recorded in Bardiya National Park since 1990 (Inskipp 2001). 

The first record of this species in Nepal was made in the 19th century (Hodgson, 1829–1844). During the study of Inskipp and his team, this bird was studied in various places in Nepal, including Bardiya National Park, Annapurna Conservation Area, Parsa Wildlife Reserve, Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park, Makalu-Barun National Park, Chitwan National Park, and various community forests.

This bird is especially found in Nepal, India, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Bangladesh. The long-tailed broadbill is seen up in the high mountain areas. As the weather gets colder in the mountains, they move down to lower altitudes.

Features

It is a distinctively slim, long-tailed bird. Adults of both sexes have a black cap with a blue crown spot, a yellow spot near the nose, a bright yellow face, bells, and almost the entire collar, usually with a small blue nuchal spot. There is little or no white in the collar. The upper parts are green. 

The long, graduated tail is blue. The undertail is black with yellow, green, and often bluish underparts, often turquoise. The pale underwing iris is green to brown, sometimes partially pink, with a prominent white spot on the flight feathers, while the bill is green. Legs and feet are pale green and yellow with a blue base.

Its wings are bright green in colour. The juvenile head has a helmet-like black cap and crown that are bright green, yellow behind the ears, and a green chin and bells. It has a white spot at the base of the wing primaries in flight. The toes are pea green in colour, and the back and underside are fleshy brown. They are monogamous and differ from all other passerines. The long-tailed 

broadbill is about 25 cm long and weighs between 50 and 60 grammes. This bird can be identified by its sharp bill.

Breeding

The long-tailed broadbill is a forest bird that feeds on insects like grasshoppers, crickets, locusts, beetles, aphids, dipteran flies, bugs, moths, and spiders. They may also feed on small frogs, berries, and fruits.  After catching prey, they return to their perches. Most hunting is done at dawn and dusk. It is very social and usually travels in large, noisy flocks, except during mating season. The female usually lays 5 or 6 eggs, which are incubated by both the male and female. These birds breed from March to August, in different months depending on the geography of different countries.

Within 3 weeks of the breeding process, these birds make a nest with the help of the male and female. The nests are made of materials such as creeper stems and tendrils, fine roots, dried leaves, and palm fibres. The side entrance is usually a small round hole about 1 or 2 inches in diameter. The inner chamber consists of grass blades or roots and bamboo leaves overlapped by green leaves. The nest is usually suspended from the tip of a branch or creeper. The incubation period of this bird is 14 days. After breeding, the young ones establish new locations within their range. They can move spatially within their range to feed and breed.

Threats

The Long-tailed Broadbill is threatened by snaring and shooting (slingshot) outside protected areas of tropical broad-leaved evergreen and semi-evergreen forests. A nature lover and birdwatcher, Ramraj Gurung of Tokha municipality goes to the forest every Saturday. He says the long-tailed broadbill bird has been seen in Jhore, Ichangunarayan, Mudkhu, and Godavari in the Kathmandu Valley. 

Gurung says it is a very beautiful and colourful bird. This bird is especially beautiful in flight due to its collar. It is very difficult to see this bird when it is perched on a leafy tree, but sometimes it can be easily seen when it is perched in the open forest. 

While the global population size of the Long-tailed broadbill has not been quantified, the overall population trend of this species has been reported to be declining. But according to Inskipp's research, since 1990, there has been a significant increase in the distribution of this species in Nepal. They can be seen in various places of the Kathmandu Valley.

(The author is a wildlife photographer. )