I agree that there are many unmistakable birds in nature. They were born with one-of-their-kind plumage, making them conspicuous wherever they turn up. Some even get us doubted whether they exist or not. They seem to jump out from fairy books. Just too perfect to be true.
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The Schlegel’s asity is among these stunning birds. It has a vivid fluorescent tye-dyed face and fleshy wattle on the black head. These details make this species stand out from the crowd.
Image Credits: Francesco Veronesi / CC BY 2.0
Noticeably, this bird has a striking coat. It’s shimmering gold with olive-green tinges on the underparts. His underparts are also a bright yellow covered with olive green.
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It also has a black bill with orange-yellow gape, brown eyes, and grey legs. Its rump is a dark grey.
You can watch the video of this bird below.
Unlike male birds, females are duller with more of an olive-green above and white to yellow-olive, below. Young birds look similar to the female.
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Schlegel’s asity is a member of the Philepittidae family. They are now classed as near threatened. They inhabit the Northern, Northwestern, and Western regions of the island nation.
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This species prefers living in frequent seasonally dry rainforested areas close to humid or sheltered areas at elevations of around 800 meters in elevation.
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Their main diet is small fruits. But in the dry season when food is scarce, they also dine on nectar and insects.
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The breeding season of Schlegel’s asity is from October to December. After finding mates, the female builds her nest of a globular woven structure. This nest is made from moss, dead leaves, and spider webs and is suspended from a branch around 2 to 5 meters above the ground.
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H/T: One Big Birdcage