Black-and-red Broadbill Cymbirhynchus macrorhynchos Scientific name definitions

A large and splendidly colorful bird, the Black-and-red Broadbill (Cymbirhynchus macrorhynchos) is a familiar species in riverine forested habitats in Southeast Asia. Its presence is usually first betrayed by the species’ conspicuous, untidy nest, which is usually suspended from a branch overhanging water, where it is protected from most predators. This broadbill’s large, comical-looking, blue bill, and contrasting black-and-red plumage make it unmistakable throughout its range, with the species’ distinctiveness being recognized in its placement in a monotypic genus. Although quite common, and tolerant of degraded habitats, being confined to the lowlands (principally below 300 meters) where forest destruction has been particularly widespread, Black-and-red Broadbill has declined precipitously in parts of its range. Only one subspecies, affinis of southwestern Myanmar, is well differentiated (even being treated as a separate species by one recent taxonomic checklist); the others are all very similar and display somewhat clinal variation, meaning that further research may determine them to be invalid.