Purple Cochoa is an Indian bird that bears a scientific name "Cochoa purpurea" found in the dark forest regions.
Concentration of Purple Cochoa
Purple Cochoa is a brightly coloured bird found in the temperate forests of Asia. It is a quiet and elusive bird species that has been considered to be related to the thrushes of the family of Turdidae or the related Muscicapidae (Old World flycatchers). It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. In India, it is found along the Himalayan Mountain Range with the western limit about 100 km west of Musoorie, Shimla.
Habitat of Purple Cochoa
Purple Cochoa is found in dark forested areas and in the canopy, where it often sits motionless.
Structure of Purple Cochoa
Purple Cochoa appears dark in the shade of the forest and the colours become clear only when it is lit by the sun. The crown is silvery blue and a black mask runs over the eye. A grey carpal patch is present at the base of the black wing feathers and a wing patch is prominent. The tail is silvery blue with a black terminal band. The male Purple Cochoa have dull purplish grey secondaries and coverts and the body is greyish while the female has rufous replacing the purple.
The genus name is from the Nepali word for the bird and was used by Brian Houghton Hodgson. The family position of the Cochoas has been unclear with some sources suggesting that they belong to the Muscicapidae while others have suggested them to be in the family Turdidae.
Natural Habitat of Purple Cochoa
The natural habitats of Purple Cochoa are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
Behaviour of Purple Cochoa
Purple Cochoa is not very active and is found mainly in the canopy. The breeding season is from May to July, when it builds a cup shaped nest in a fork.
Nests of Purple Cochoa
The nest of Purple Cochoa is covered with moss, lichens and a white thread-like fungus which is said to be distinctive. Three pale sea-green eggs with some blotchy markings are laid and both sexes take turns in incubation. The birds are shy at the nest and slip away even when disturbances are afar.
Calls of Purple Cochoa
The songs of Purple Cochoa consist of a low whistle while other calls include a sit and soft trrrs. These cochoas feed on berries, insects and molluscs.
