The blue malkoha or chattering yellowbill (''Ceuthmochares aereus'') is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It was formerly conspecific with the green malkoha until split in 2016. It is widely distributed across the African tropical rainforest.

Description

The blue malkoha has a greyish belly, head and throat and a heavy yellow bill but

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

display some differences in

plumage Plumage ( "feather") is a layer of feathers that covers a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage differ between species and subspecies and may vary with age classes. Within species, ...

colouration. ''C. aereus aereus'' has a greenish and blue tail, wings and back, while ''C. aereus flavirostris'' has a blue tail, wings and back. The blue malkoha feeds primarily on insects, particularly caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers and crickets; it will also take frogs, slugs, fruit, seeds and leaves. It moves through the tangled vegetation with a series of small hops, snatching prey as it travels. It will accompany other birds and

squirrel Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae, a family that includes small or medium-size rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks and prairie dogs, among others), and flying squirrels. Squ ...

s, taking the insects flushed by them. Unlike some other cuckoos the blue malkoha is not a

brood parasite Brood parasites are animals that rely on others to raise their young. The strategy appears among birds, insects and fish. The brood parasite manipulates a host, either of the same or of another species, to raise its young as if it were its own ...

, instead it cares for its own young. Two white and creamy eggs are laid in a nest that is a rough mass of sticks suspended around 2–5 m above the ground. Both parents care for the young. The blue malkoha is an uncommon species and rarely observed due to its secretive behaviour. However it is not considered threatened, and is listed as least concern by the

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

Subspecies

The blue malkoha has two subspecies: * ''C. a. flavirostris'' ( Swainson, 1837) -

Gambia The Gambia,, ff, Gammbi, ar, غامبيا officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. It is the smallest country within mainland AfricaHoare, Ben. (2002) ''The Kingfisher A-Z Encyclopedia'', Kingfisher Publicatio ...

to southwest Nigeria * ''C. a. aereus'' ( Vieillot, 1817) - Nigeria to western Kenya, northern Zambia and Angola, Bioko

References

* Payne, R.B (2005) ''The Cuckoos''. Oxford University Press: Oxford {{Taxonbar, from=Q1273372 blue malkoha Birds of the Gulf of Guinea Birds of the African tropical rainforest blue malkoha Taxa named by Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot Taxonomy articles created by Polbot