Velvet asity

Philepitta castanea

The velvet asity is a species of bird in the Philepittidae family. It is endemic to Madagascar.

Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

The male of the velvet asity has yellow tips to its feathers when newly molted, but these wear off, leaving the bird all black; at the same time, a green wattle grows above the eye. The female is greenish.

Velvet asities eat berries and other fruit in undergrowth, and they build hanging nests with a little roof over the entrance.
Status: Least concern
EX EW CR EN VU NT LC
Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionChordata
ClassAves
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyEurylaimidae
GenusPhilepitta
SpeciesCastanea
Photographed in
Madagascar