About Chloropsis moluccensis J.E.Gray, 1831
The blue-winged leafbird, with the scientific name Chloropsis moluccensis, is a leafbird species that lives in forests and secondary growth across Southeast Asia, ranging east to Borneo and south to southern Sumatra. This species previously classified Jerdon's leafbird (C. jerdoni) from the Indian subcontinent and the Bornean leafbird (C. kinabaluensis) from northern Borneo as its own subspecies, but it differs from both in measurements and morphology. Jerdon's leafbird has no blue coloration on its flight feathers, and female Bornean leafbirds have distinctive male-like plumage. The Javan leafbird (C. cochinchinensis), which is endemic to Java, was also formerly grouped with this species, but more recent phylogenetic studies have split both away from the blue-winged leafbird. The ranges of the blue-winged leafbird and the Bornean leafbird are known to come close to one another, but there is no evidence of intergradation between them. Male blue-winged leafbirds have green bodies, yellow-tinged heads, and black faces and throats, with a blue moustachial line. Females differ from males by having a greener head and blue throat. Young blue-winged leafbirds resemble females, but lack the blue throat patch. This species is common to fairly common across most of its range, so BirdLife International categorizes it as least concern. The superficially similar golden-fronted leafbird differs from the blue-winged leafbird by having no blue in its flight feathers and tail, plus a golden forehead. Like other leafbirds, the blue-winged leafbird's call is made up of a rich mixture of imitations of the calls of many other bird species. The blue color of their wings comes from gyroid crystals located in cells of their feathers.
