Lesser Green Leafbird

This species is defined as a Review Species. Please submit your records of this species via our record submission page.

Scientific Name: Chloropsis cyanopogon
Malay Name: Burung-Daun Kecil
Chinese Name: 小绿叶鹎

Range:
Found from the Thai-Malay Peninsula to Sumatra and Borneo.

Taxonomy:
Polytypic. Subspecies are: septentrionalis, cyanopogon.

Local Subspecies: cyanopogon

Size: 16-19 cm

Identification:
Male looks very similar to Greater Green Leafbird except that it is smaller and has a slim bill and yellowish borders surrounding black face. Female and juvenile are more easily distinguished from Greater Green Leafbird by all green plumage without yellowish throat and eyering.

Similar looking species: Greater Green Leafbird, Blue-winged Leafbird

Habitat: Forest and forest edge.

Behaviour/Ecology: Arboreal, frequenting thick foliage and canopy.

Local Status: Rare resident

Conservation Status: Near Threatened (BirdLife International 2020)

Featured articles:

Featured reports: Apr 2022, May 2022, Jul 2022

Past accepted records in our database:

Male Lesser Green Leafbird from Panti Bird Sanctuary. Photo credit: Daniel Koh
Male Lesser Green Leafbird at Jelutong Tower. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Lesser Green Leafbird at Bukit Timah summit. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Female Lesser Green Leafbird at Jelutong Tower. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Lesser Green Leafbird at Jelutong Tower. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Male Lesser Green Leafbird from Panti Bird Sanctuary. Photo credit: Daniel Koh
Male Lesser Green Leafbird at Jelutong Tower. Photo credit: Francis Yap
Female Lesser Green Leafbird from Panti Bird Sanctuary. Photo credit: Myron Tay
External Links:
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (Lesser Green Leafbird)
References:
BirdLife International. (2020). Chloropsis cyanopogon. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22704953A177137817.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023
Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.
Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula (Vol. 1). Academic Press, London.