Crested jayshrike facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crested jayshrike |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Platylophus
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| Species: |
galericulatus
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The crested jayshrike or crested shrikejay (Platylophus galericulatus) is a special kind of bird. It has a cool crest on its head! For a long time, people thought it was a type of jay, but it's actually quite different.
You can find this bird in several countries in Southeast Asia. These include Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand. It's the only bird in its group, called the genus Platylophus, and also the only one in its family, the Platylophidae.
About the Crested Jayshrike
For many years, scientists thought the crested jayshrike belonged to the crow and jay family (Corvidae). However, new studies in the 2000s showed that it wasn't a true jay at all. It's actually a very old and unique branch of a larger bird group.
In 2019, bird experts at eBird and the Clements Checklist gave the bird a new name: the crested shrikejay. They also decided it needed its own special family. This new family, called Platylophidae, was officially named in 2021. In 2022, the International Ornithological Congress agreed with this change.
Where It Lives
The crested jayshrike lives in warm, wet forests. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. You can find these forests on the Thai-Malay Peninsula, and on the islands of Sumatra, Java, and Borneo.
Sadly, this bird is facing a challenge. Its forest homes are shrinking because of habitat loss. This means there are fewer places for these unique birds to live and thrive.
Its Unique Voice
The crested jayshrike has a very distinct alarm call. People who have heard it say it sounds a bit like a machine gun! It's a loud and memorable sound in the forest.
