Red Faced Malkoha
Scientific Name – phaenicophaeus pyrrhocephalus
Common Name – Watha Rathu Mal Koha
It is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes. This is a large species at 46 cm with a long graduated tail. Its back is dark green, and the upper tail is green edged with white. The belly and under tail are white, the latter being barred black. The crown and throat are black, and the lower face white. There is a large red patch around the eye and the bill is green. Sexes are similar, but juveniles are much duller.
It takes a variety of insects including caterpillars, giant stick insects, mantises and small vertebrates such as lizards. Unlike most cuckoos, this is a quiet species, making only an odd soft grunt. The Red Faced Malkoha is a bird of dense forests, where it can be difficult to see despite its size and colour. In the island it is largely confined to the Sinharaja Forest Reserve and the surrounding vegetation. It is also found in scattered riverine habitats in the dry zone, such as Lahugala, Wasgamuwa, Manik Ganga and Kubukkan Oya. The breeding season is in the first half of the year and probably again in August-September. The nest is described as a shallow saucer of grass, roots and twigs, very carelessly put together, and placed in high bushes in forest with thick undergrowth with the typical clutch being 2-3 eggs. The IUCN has listed its status as Vulnerable. It appears in a 5 rupee Sri Lankan postal stamp.
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