MEET OUR TWO MALKOHA FRIENDS FROM LUZON!
THE RED-CRESTED MALKOHA
Nice to meet your acquaintance! I’m a Red-Crested Malkoha (Dasylophus superciliosus). I’m a mem-ber of the Family Cuculidae, so I’m closely related to Cuckoo birds. I’m pretty shy and you’re pretty lucky if you find me when you go out birdwatching.
WHAT DO I LOOK LIKE?
I’m mostly black with tinges of blue-green on my wings, upper parts, and tail. When I’m climbing up branches, you might be able to spot my white-tipped tail, the bright red feathers around my eye, or my signatory scruffy red crest. If you look closely, my thick beak has a touch of green and I use this to catch my favorite food — insects!
DO YOU THINK WE’LL EVER MEET?
I can be found only around the lowland forests, sec-ondary growth forests, and forest edges of Luzon, Catanduanes, Marinduque, and Polillo Islands. So far, these are the only places in the whole world where you can find me.
On top of that, I’m called a skulker because I move through the dense parts of trees to stay hidden from predators and scary humans. You’re lucky if you can spot me. It might be a bit tricky, but I’m sure to be worth the wait!
WHERE CAN YOU MEET ME?
If you want to come see me, you can visit protected areas, such as the Mount Makiling Nature Reserve, Mount Palay-palay, Mount Isarog National Park, Northern Sierra Madre National Park, Bulusan Volcano Natural Park, and Catanduanes Watershed Forest Reserve.
HOW CAN YOU HELP PROTECT ME?
Sadly, there’s less and less space for me to live. When people cut down forests, I run out of places to hide from predators, build my nests, and find food.
Help protect forests and you help me out, too! By visiting and supporting national parks, you can make sure these can stay up and running to protect the forests that I live in. Go on! Join a birdwatching trip and try your luck to spot me.
MEET THE SCALE-FEATHERED MALKOHA
Hey there! I’m called a Scale-Feathered Malkoha (Dasy-lophus cumingi). Red-crested Malkohas and I are both in the Family Cuculidae, so we’re basically cousins. We’re both pretty shy, so you’re extra lucky if you see both of us during a birding trip.
WHAT DO I LOOK LIKE?
I’m a skulker and like to hide in the denser parts of trees, but if you see the distinct scale-like dark feathers on my whitish-grey head, that’s me for sure!
I also have this bright crimson patch around my bright red eyes. Hopefully, you get close enough to admire my eyelashes — aren’t you jealous?. Usually, I hide my face and all you can see is a white-tipped tail that looks like the Red-crested Malkoha’s, but you’ll know it’s me once you spot my chestnut colored upper body.
DO YOU THINK WE’LL EVER MEET?
Well, I do hope you see me in the wild! I’m waaay prettier than my cousins. I’m only found around Cat-anduanes, Marinduque, and the mountainous parts of Luzon. There’s nowhere else you can see me!
WHERE CAN YOU MEET ME?
I’m usually hanging out in the same nature reserves as Red-Crested Malkohas, but you can also meet me at Mt. Pulag National Park. My fans also say that my home range is a lot wider than my cousin’s.
HOW CAN YOU HELP PROTECT US?
Just like my cousin, I have fewer spots to nest, hide, and look for something to eat. But there’s something you can do to help! Aside from protecting forests, you can drop by national parks and support them. That way, they remain in business, protecting the forests where I live. Go on! Join a birdwatching trip and try your luck to spot me.
