Javan leafbird facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Javan leafbird |
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|---|---|
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| Female | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Chloropsis
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| Species: |
cochinchinensis
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The Javan leafbird (Chloropsis cochinchinensis) is a beautiful bird. It lives in the forests of Java, an island in Indonesia. You can find it in both thick forests and areas where trees are growing back. This bird is part of a group called leafbirds.
Sadly, the Javan leafbird is currently an endangered animal. This means there are not many left in the wild. It faces big threats, mostly because people catch them for the pet trade.
About the Javan Leafbird's Name
The Javan leafbird got its official name a long time ago. A German scientist named Johann Friedrich Gmelin described it in 1789. He first thought it was a type of thrush. He gave it the scientific name Turdus cochinchinensis.
The name "Cochinchina" refers to an old name for Vietnam. This is because the first descriptions of the bird came from that region. Later, scientists placed it in the Chloropsis genus. This is the group where all leafbirds belong. For a while, people thought the Javan leafbird was the same as the blue-winged leafbird. But now we know they are different species.
Why the Javan Leafbird is in Danger
The Javan leafbird is in serious trouble. Its biggest threat is being caught and sold. Many people in Asia want these birds as pets. They are especially popular for their beautiful songs.
Leafbirds have been popular cage birds for many years. But recently, their popularity has grown a lot. This is especially true for the greater green leafbird. Because of this, more and more leafbirds are being caught.
The Javan leafbird lives mostly in low-lying areas. This makes it easy for trappers to find and catch them. People have reported that these birds are disappearing from places where they used to live. This happens even when their forest homes are still there. This shows how much trapping hurts the species. It is a big reason why they are now endangered.
