Cissa (genus)

Cissa
Cissa hypoleuca
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Corvidae
Genus:	Cissa F. Boie, 1826
Species
Cissa chinensis Cissa hypoleuca Cissa jefferyi Cissa thalassina

Cissa is a genus of relatively short-tailed magpies, though sometimes known as hunting cissas, that reside in the forests of tropical and subtropical southeast Asia and adjacent regions. The four species are quite similar with bright red bills, a mainly green plumage, black mask, and rufous wings. Due to excess exposure to sunlight (and, possibly, a low-carotenoid diet), they often appear rather turquoise (instead of green) in captivity. They are carnivorous, and mainly feed on arthropods and small vertebrates.

Species

The genus Cissa contains five species:

Species of Cissa
Common and binomial names	Image	Description	Range
Common green magpie (Cissa chinensis)			Lower Himalayas to mainland southeast Asia, as well as Borneo and Sumatra
Indochinese green magpie (Cissa hypoleuca)			Mainland southeast Asia and adjacent parts of China
Javan green magpie (Cissa thalassina)			Java
Bornean green magpie (Cissa jefferyi)			Borneo

References

• Van Balen, S.; Easton, J.A.; and Rheindt, J.A. (2011). Biology, taxonomy and conservation status of the Short-tailed Green Magpie Cissa thalassina from Java. Bird Conservation International 23(01): 1-19.