Fun Green Broadbill Facts For Kids

Nidhi Sahai
Oct 20, 2022 By Nidhi Sahai
Originally Published on Sep 02, 2021
Edited by Katherine Cook
Discover interesting lesser green broadbill facts.

The green broadbill (Calyptomena viridis) is a very bright and vibrant green plumage bird of the broadbill family. They belong to the phylum Chordata, class Aves, order Passeriformes, and family Calyptomenidae and are also known as the lesser green broadbill.

They are found in the broadleaved evergreen montane forests in the countries of Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, and the Malay Peninsula. They appear and disappear in places they have never been in search of abundant food and shelter.

They often migrate to a new location when the season changes in one place.

Females are different as they do not have black markings on the ear. Juveniles have pale breasts and a green-white vent.

The females look after the eggs during the incubation period. The foliage-green color of their body helps them to camouflage and it is also impossible to track them in their natural habitat as they sit and rest and have plumage of a similar color to leaves.

Have an interest in birds and want to know about more of them? Here you can know some amazing facts about Australian bustard and cockatoo.

Green Broadbill Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a green broadbill?

The green broadbill (Calyptomena viridis), belonging to Borneo, is a type of bird of order Passeriformes. Their distinct description of vibrant green feathers makes them easy to recognize.

What class of animal does a green broadbill belong to?

The green broadbill bird species belong to the order Passeriformes, genus Calyptomena. Their scientific name is Calyptomena viridis. They differ from other perching species in terms of a different muscle arrangement that bends their toes.

How many green broadbills are there in the world?

There is no exact number recorded of their population in the world, but you can see them in broadleaved evergreen forests in Borneo and the Malay Peninsula. They are very sensitive towards habitat degradation and the population of these has been decreasing over the past two decades. Their population trend is decreasing.

Where does a green broadbill live?

This Near Threatened species of lesser green broadbills can be called a forest species. They live in dense forests, along small rivers and brooks. The main countries of their distribution are Borneo, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sumatra, Thailand, Myanmar, and the Malay Peninsula. Due to their green feathers, people often are confused between the leaves of trees and this bird.

What is a green broadbill's habitat?

The lesser green broadbill lives in tropical and subtropical moist lowland forests of broadleaved evergreen, streams, streams, tropical and subtropical lower montane rainforest. Their natural habitat is usually around places that have rich forest cover and altitudes with a range of 492.1- 8202.1 ft (150- 2500 m).

Who do green broadbills live with?

There is very little information available about the social behavior of the lesser green broadbill. These birds are solitary birds and prefer to remain in solitude and quiet. They may fly in flocks when migrating.

How long does a green broadbill live?

The green broadbill range of lifespan of green broadbills is around 6-19 years. The population of this bird is declining at the moment due to deforestation and is classified as a Near Threatened species by the IUCN.

How do they reproduce?

The green broadbill (Calyptomena viridis) can show both monogamous and polygynous behavior. The breeding season differs from country to country.

In Myanmar, it is from February to April, and in Thailand, the breeding season is from March to June. Male birds perform a spinning courtship display and during the mating season, females make tube-shaped nests with raw material like dry grasses. The baby reaches adult age after 20-23 days.

What is their conservation status?

According to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), the green broadbill (Calyptomena viridis) is under the status of Near Threatened (NT). Though their distribution is very common in some countries, their population still needs urgent conservation.

Green Broadbill Fun Facts

What do green broadbills look like?

Green broadbills (Calyptomena viridis) are fluffy chunky birds with a wide bill. They have green bodies and a stubby tail with feathers reaching their bill. Their luminous body has an umbrella-shaped head and both males and females look different.

Females have pale green bodies without any black markings. In contrast, males have black stripes on their wings and a small black line behind their eyes. They look similar to parrots and little bee eaters.

How cute are they?

These birds are a very attractive species because of their vibrant foliage green plumage. The black markings on their body add even more beauty to their overall cuteness.

How do they communicate?

The lesser green broadbill is a calm bird. They don't socialize much with other birds or even with birds of the same species. The little communication between these birds is by using their range of calls like screams, rattles, squeaks, trills, and whistles.

How big is a green broadbill?

The bird green broadbill (Ailuroedus crassirostris) is a small bird of length 5- 11 in (12.7 - 27.9 cm). The lesser green broadbill weighs two times more than the weight of gray catbird of the same order Passeriformes.

How fast can a green broadbill fly?

The exact flying speed of the lesser green broadbill is not known yet, but they fly very quickly to a new location when disturbed or noticed by someone.

How much does a green broadbill weigh?

Being very small, green broadbills (Calyptomena viridis) of the genus Calyptomena weigh around 1.5-2.5 oz (42.5-70.8 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no specific names of male and female birds of this species.

What would you call a baby green broadbill?

The baby of this bird is called a chick like other broadbills of the class Aves and family Passeriformes.

What do they eat?

This species is an herbivore and so the green broadbill feeding diet mainly consists of fruits, flowers, grains, seeds from agricultural land, figs, and vegetables.

Are they dangerous?

According to the little-known behavior of these species, they prefer peace and solitude. They don't normally attack people and often tend to avoid any interaction with them. The male can show aggressive behavior while defending the territory for the female during the incubation period.

Would they make a good pet?

These birds are birds of open habitat and lives in moist forests. Keeping them as a pet will be very uncomfortable for the bird as they are not adapted to city culture. This Near Threatened species needs to be conserved.

Did you know...

The size of the lesser green broadbill is very small but you will be amazed to know that they can eat animals that are larger in size than them unlike most other species of small birds like the Eurasian blue tit of class Aves.

Due to their herbivore nature, when they eat seeds of plants, they distribute them to a new location and this maintains and benefits the ecosystem.

What does the green broadbill's call sound like?

The lesser green broadbill sound does not have any specific range of melodies or songs, though they have a range of calls identified as screams, rattles, squeaks, trills, and whistles. They don't communicate much, but when they do they call early morning or late afternoon.

Why are they called green broadbills?

The lesser green broadbill has shiny and luminous green feathers with a wide stout as well. When combined, these features gave them the name green broadbills.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these hummingbird facts and eastern kingbird facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable green broadbill color pages.

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Written by Nidhi Sahai

Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication

Nidhi Sahai picture

Nidhi SahaiBachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication

Dedicated and experienced, Nidhi is a professional content writer with a strong reputation for delivering high-quality work. She has contributed her expertise to esteemed organizations, including Network 18 Media and Investment Ltd. Driven by her insatiable curiosity and love for journalism and mass communication, Nidhi pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, graduating with distinction in 2021. During her college years, she discovered her passion for Video Journalism, showcasing her skills as a videographer for her institution. Nidhi's commitment to making a positive impact extends beyond her professional pursuits. Actively engaging in volunteer work, she has contributed to various events and initiatives throughout her academic career.

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