The Black-crowned Barwing bird is a beautiful, small passerine bird that is predominantly found in the forests of Southeast Asia. It is also known as the Grey Sibia and is part of the Sylviidae family of birds. The bird is named after the black crown on its head, which is surrounded by a white band.
The Black-crowned Barwing bird has a plump body with short wings and a short tail. The bird's plumage is grayish-brown with a white belly and black feathers on its head, wings, and tail. This bird is around 24 cm (9.5 inches) long and weighs almost 70 g (2.47 oz). The bird's beak is sharp and curved, ideal for extracting insects from trees.
The bird's natural habitat is in the forests of Southeast Asia, including Sumatra, Borneo, Malaysia, and Thailand. It prefers to reside in the forests canopy and feeds on insects and worms that are hidden within the trees. The bird is usually spotted in small groups of two to six birds. It is a cooperative bird and can be seen foraging in the branches, assisting each other to obtain food.
The Black-crowned Barwing bird breeding season extends from March to August, and both males and females take part in nest building. The bird builds its nest from grass, roots, and moss and tends to build it on small horizontal branches of trees. The female lays only one egg at a time, and the young birds are fed by both the male and female parents.
Despite being a beautiful bird, the Black-crowned Barwing is threatened by deforestation and habitat loss due to human activities such as extraction of timber and agriculture. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists this bird as a species of "Least Concern," where it is not in danger of extinction, and its population is still stable.
In summary, the Black-crowned Barwing bird is a stunning, plump bird found predominantly in Southeast Asia. It is distinguished by its black crown, which is surrounded by a white band. The bird is well adapted to forest canopies and is known for its cooperative foraging behavior. Despite its unique characteristics, the bird still faces significant threats from human activities and habitat loss.