I think I heard a bird? Where is it? Wait, there it is! No, where did it go? I see it again – it’s so pretty! It’s gone!

The Red-crested Malkoha is often seen around Sakahang Lilok. It is big and beautiful, around 40cm long and colored in red and white. Yet it is so sneaky that you rarely get a clear shot at it. If you do, you’ll be amazed.

Of course, such a clear sight is uncommon. I have seen the Red-crested Malkoha several times at Lilok, but only when it was flitting through the understory or flying away. It prefers to stay hidden among the branches, hunting for the big insects that make up most of its diet. If you do get a glance at it, you might not even see the whole bird.