Wildlifeof Bhutan
Asian Fairy-bluebird
Sunbirds, Flowerpeckers & Leafbirds
Photo: Mike Gordon — wildlifeofeverywhere.com · Open licence
Irena puella
Basic stats
Diet
Mainly fruit; also nectar and some insects
Habitat
Forests, generally on the larger forest trees; shallow cup nest of moss or small twigs in a sapling or small tree
Range
Forests across tropical southern Asia, Indochina and the Greater Sundas
Clutch size
2–3 greenish-white eggs marked with brown, generally two
Size
24–27cm
The Asian fairy-bluebird is a medium-sized, arboreal passerine, 24 to 27cm long, found in forests across tropical southern Asia, Indochina and the Greater Sundas. The male has glossy, iridescent blue upperparts and black underparts and flight feathers, with a crimson iris; the female is brownish blue with brighter feather edges, and the young resemble her (Wikipedia, general species account).
It eats fruit, nectar and some insects, feeding principally on fruit and generally found on the larger forest trees. The call is a liquid two-note 'glue-it'. It breeds from February to April, building a shallow cup-shaped nest, sometimes of moss and sometimes of small twigs, in a sapling or small tree; two or three greenish-white eggs, marked with brown, are laid. The account opened does not name Bhutan.
Quick answers
- What does the Asian Fairy-bluebird eat?
- Mainly fruit; also nectar and some insects
- What habitat does the Asian Fairy-bluebird live in?
- Forests, generally on the larger forest trees; shallow cup nest of moss or small twigs in a sapling or small tree
- Where is the Asian Fairy-bluebird found?
- Forests across tropical southern Asia, Indochina and the Greater Sundas
- How many eggs does the Asian Fairy-bluebird lay?
- 2–3 greenish-white eggs marked with brown, generally two
- How big is the Asian Fairy-bluebird?
- 24–27cm