Alternative names: Yellow-breasted Magpie; Eastern Green Magpie
- Cissa hypoleuca
Identification
34 - 35cm (13¼-13¾ in). A distinctive and striking Magpie:
- Green plumage, yellow-washed on underparts
- Prominent black band from base of bill over eye to nape
- Reddish-chestnut wing
- Prominent crimson to orange-red bill
- Relatively short tail, outer tail feathers with black subterminal chevron and pale grey tip
- Dark brown iris with crimson orbital ring
- Bright-red to orange-red legs
Sexes similar. Juveniles are duller than adults.
Similar species
Very similar to Short-tailed Green Magpie but no range overlap. Differs from Green Magpie by shorter tail, strong yellow wash below and tertial pattern.
Distribution
From south-central China south to Vietnam, Laos and southeast Thailand.
Locally common or not uncommon.
Taxonomy
Sometimes regarded as conspecific with Short-tailed Green Magpie.
Subspecies
There are 5 subspecies[1]:
- C. h. jini in SE China (Yaoshan Massif of Guangxi)
- C. h. concolor in N Vietnam
- C. h. chauleti in Central Vietnam
- C. h. hypoleuca in E Thailand and s Indochina
- C. h. katsumatae in Hainan (s China)
Habitat
Tropical and subtropical forest, preferably with bamboo thickets. Occurs up to 900m in China and 1600m in Vietnam.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on insects, frogs, snakes lizards and eggs and nestlings.
Usually seen singly, in pairs or small family groups. Moves through dense undergrowth, often with other species like Laughingthrushes or Drongos.
Breeding
Breeding recorded in May. The nest is a bowl made of twigs and placed well concealed in a tree some 2 - 3m above the ground. Lays 4 eggs in captivity.
Movements
A resident species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. 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) Indochinese Green Magpie. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 4 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Indochinese_Green_Magpie
