Cissa (genus)
Appearance
Cissa | |
---|---|
Cissa hypoleuca | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | |
Phylum: | |
Class: | |
Order: | |
Family: | |
Genus: | Cissa F. Boie, 1826
|
Species | |
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 in north eastern India | ||
Indochinese green magpie (Cissa hypoleuca) |
China and southeast Asia | ||
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.