Red-billed Leiothrix

Red-billed Leiothrix

The Red-billed Leiothrix is a beautifully marked bird with bright coloring. The adults have bright red bills and a dull yellow ring around their eyes. Their backs are dull olive green and have a bright yellow-orange throat with a yellow chin. They have forked tails. Female Leiothrix are similar to males but with a duller shade. Juveniles have black bills and gray coats. This Leiothrix is also known for its loud melodious songs. We ran across one on the Judd-Nuuanu Trail on Oahu (Above).

Red-billed Leiothrix are native to Southern Asia and are now found on most of the Hawaiian Islands with the exception of Kauai, which ironically it was first introduced to in 1918. Sometime later, these birds were introduced to the other islands. Leiothrix prefer to inhabit underbrush's at all elevations with a cover of dense vegetation near the ground. Some birds have been found at elevations of 9,000 feet. Flocks of Leiothrix's have been known to fly up to elevations of 13,500 feet for a short period of time. These birds favor areas with at least 40 inches of rain.