Corydon sumatranus
The Dusky Broadbill (Corydon sumatranus) is a captivating and robust passerine bird, immediately recognizable by its striking, massive, and very broad black bill, which contrasts with its overall somber plumage. Measuring approximately 23-25 cm (9-10 inches) in length and weighing around 70-80 grams, it possesses a stocky build, short tail, and a distinctive bright yellow or yellowish-white iris encircled by a black eye-ring. Its plumage is predominantly a deep, sooty grey or blackish-brown, ...
Found primarily in lowland and hill evergreen and deciduous forests, often near water sources, up to elevations of 1,200 meters, occasionally higher.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a wide range of insects including beetles, crickets, cicadas, and moths, caught through aerial hawking or gleaning.
Dusky Broadbills are highly social and diurnal, typically observed in small groups of 3-7 individuals, often joining mixed-species foraging flocks alongside babblers, woodpeckers, and other broadbills. Their foraging strategy involves sallying out from a perch to catch insects in flight (aerial h...
The Dusky Broadbill is widely distributed across Southeast Asia, spanning from Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam on the mainland, southward through the Malay Peninsula, and across the major Sundaic islands of Sumatra and Borneo. Its range extends discontinuously across these regions,...
Least Concern
- The Dusky Broadbill's scientific name 'Corydon sumatranus' alludes to its range, but 'Corydon' is a Greek name meaning 'lark', an interesting contrast to its broadbill nature. - Its disproportionately large, broad bill, while black, is incredibly adapted for catching insects in flight. - Unlike...