Food
Predominantly insects, taken in the air or from nearby foliage.
Voice
A short, loud, screaming 'kwau' call. Song is a cicada-like frantic trill, starting with a sudden, loud, 'pwau', then starting off very rapidly before reaching a crescendo where the pace slows and gradually dies off in volume.
Banded Broadbill (Eurylaimus javanicus) [XC683878]
by GABRIEL LEITE from Tanintharyi, Myeik, Tanintharyi Region, Myanmar (call)
Banded Broadbill (Eurylaimus javanicus) [XC736217]
by Ding Li Yong from Telecom loop. Fraser's Hill (Bukit Fraser), Pahang, Malaysia (song)
Nest
Pear-shaped and pendulous, composed of dead leaves, green moss and thin twigs, suspended by thin string on a branch about 15 m above the ground. The entrance is close to the top and obscured by an overhanging porch. Often located near a beehive.
Subspecies
Distinctive morphological differences of nominate subspecies, with pure yellow vent and without breastband, could suggest that it should be treated as a separate species from other subspecies. Birds from Belitung I named as subspecies billitonis, but identical to some harterti; in addition, both friedmanni and pallidus are frequently also lumped with that subspecies, but the former, at least, seems generally distinguishable; further reappraisal of mainland populations required.
The following 5 subspecies are recognised:
friedmanni Horsfield, 1821 - South-eastern Myanmar, Thailand (south to Isthmus of Kra) and Indochina.
pallidus Chasen, 1935 - Southern Thailand (southern from Isthmus of Kra) and Peninsular Malaysia; formerly also Singapore.
harterti van Oort, 1909 - Sumatra, Riau Archipelago (Bintan), Bangka I and Belitung I. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Banded Broadbill (Eurylaimus harterti).
brookei Robinson & Kloss, 1919 - Borneo and northern Natuna Is.
javanicus Horsfield, 1821 - Java.
Similar Species
Black-and-yellow Broadbill (Eurylaimus ochromalus) which is much smaller but has similar vocalizations.
References
See References.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet