About Crypsirina temia (Daudin, 1800)
The racket-tailed treepie, with the scientific name Crypsirina temia, is an Asian treepie belonging to the crow family, Corvidae. It has a velvety-black forehead covered in short, plush black feathers. The rest of its plumage is an oily green color, though it appears black in dim light. Its long tail feathers broaden at the tail end, and are black with a greenish tinge, just like the wings. The bird’s iris is turquoise-blue, and darkens to a very deep, near-black shade toward the pupil. Its bill, legs, and feet are all black. This species lives in southern Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Indo-China, Sumatra, Java, and Bali. It inhabits scrub and secondary growth, open fields, gardens, bamboo thickets, and open forest, often found near villages. It is almost exclusively arboreal, feeding only in trees; it never feeds from the ground, though it will occasionally come down to bathe. It moves through trees with great agility, and uses its distinctive tail as a balancing organ. Its diet consists mainly of insects and fruit. It builds a cup-shaped nest in bamboo or shrubs, especially thorny shrubs, often in areas surrounded by open grass. Clutches normally contain 2 to 4 eggs. Its voice is generally described as harsh and unattractive. While it makes several distinct calls, a whining call is heard most often.
