Asian Fairy-bluebird (Irena puella)
Order: PASSERIFORMES
Family: IRENIDAE Fairy-Bluebirds
Scientific name: Irena puella
English name: Asian Fairy-bluebird
Characteristic: Size 25 cm. Both sexes are dissimilar in body plumage. A male has its upperpart from crown, nape, hindneck, mantle, rump to the upper tail coverts, including lower tail coverts shining indigo-blue; flight feathers and tail feathers sooty black; bill and legs with toes black; iris dark red. A female and an immature have allover their bodies plain greenish blue except that the flight feathers, outer secondaries and outer tail feathers are all black.
Distribution: India, Sri Lanka, the Andamans, Southwest China, the Sundas, the Philippines and Southeast Asia.
Habitat: Found in moist evergreen forest, and dry evergreen forest, from the plain up to the 1,500 m. altitude. In Sakaerat forest, this bird keeps to the dry evergreen forest.
Habit: Frequently observed flying and hopping between tree top branches searching for ripe fruits; mostly seen in pairs or small flocks on the fruit-laden trees, notably its favorite staple fig trees. In addition, it is also fond of arboreal insects and flower nectar. Breeding takes place between March and May; when a nest will be built hiding hight among thick foliage and a female is the sole nest builder and incubator; a clutch of 2 eggs will then be laid; and they require 13 days of continuous incubation.
Status: A quite common resident bird. The wildlife law treats it as a protected wild animal.
