Alternative name: Malay Jay; Crested Shrike-jay; Malay Crested Jay (malaccensis); Sumatran Crested Jay (coronatus);
- Platylophus galericulatus
Identification
31 - 33cm (12¼-13 in). An unmistakable bird:
- Long crest formed by two elongated central feathers
- Black plumage (brown in coronatus, pale brown in lemprieri)
- White crescent on side of neck
- Small broken white mark at rear of eye
- Reddish to brownish eye
- Black bill and legs
Sexes similar. Juveniles are very different with a rufous plumage and an orange-brown head and neck and whitish underparts.
Distribution
From south Burma to the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java and Borneo.
Locally not uncommon.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Three[1] or four subspecies usually recognized:
- P. g. galericulatus on Java
- P. g. lemprieri in northern Borneo
- P. g. coronatus on Sumatra and most of Borneo
- P. g. malacensis on the Malay Peninsula
P. g. lemprieri is not recognised by all authorities and may be part of a cline.
Habitat
Moist montanes and lowland evergreen forests to 1500m in Borneo, 1000m in Sumatra and 750m in Thailand.
Behaviour
Diet
Diet poorly known. Feeds on invertebrates.
Usually seen singly or in small groups. May approach humans to within a few metres.
Breeding
Breeding poorly studied. Season from June to July and October to February in Java. Solitary breeder. The nest is a shallow cup, placed 2 - 3m above the ground in a sapling. Lays 2 eggs.
Movements
A sedentary species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Crested Jay. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 27 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Crested_Jay
