Green-billed Malkoha: Phaenicophaeus tristis

Etymology: 

• Phaenicophaeus : Greek word phoiniko-s crimson; phaoto-shine { Crimson appearance}
• Tristis : Latin word for Gloomy, sad

Vernacular Names: Ben: Bon kokil, Ass: Bamura, Lepcha: Sanku

Distribution:  Size of  50–60 cm; Wt. of 114–116 g (nominate. Adult is dark grey with green gloss above, oily green wings and tail. The tail is very long with broad white tips; lower belly is grey to blackish. Bare red skin around eye, iris brown (or inner ring claret, outer ring white), bill pale green, feet greenish grey. Juvenile is greener with duller facial skin, shorter, narrower and more pointed tail with smaller and more diffuse white tips.

Habitat: It is found in primary forest, second growth, dense thickets, scrub, cultivated areas, rubber plantations, hill forest, bamboo. It is found from lowlands to hills (1800 m).

Food habits: It eats  Insects, large caterpillars, Orthoptera, also lizards. It feeds in dense foliage in thickets and trees.

Breeding habits: They breed in Apr–Aug in India, May in Nepal, Mar–Sept in Myanmar, Jan–Mar in Peninsular Malaysia. The nest is a small platform of twigs, lined with green leaves, in middle of small tree. They lay a clutch of 2-4 eggs. Both the sexes incubate.