Silver-breasted Broadbill (Serilophus lunatus) by Peter Ericsson

“What are some of God’s favorite object lessons? Certainly His creation is one. A God who can call something into existence which didn’t exist before can do anything. “Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things” (Isaiah 40:26).” (Quote from Days of Praise-2-18-2011)

The Broadbills are another of those creations of the Lord. These pretty little birds caught my eye while doing an article. I trust you will find them as interesting as I do. Formed by Him they cannot be anything but amazing. What a great Creator God we have.

The broadbills are a family of small passerine birds, Eurylaimidae. The Smithornis and Pseudocalyptomena species occur in sub-Saharan Africa; the rest extend from the eastern Himalayas to Sumatra and Borneo. The family possibly also includes the Sapayoa from the Neotropics and the asities from Madagascar.

Banded Broadbill (Eurylaimus javanicus) by Peter Ericsson

Many of the broadbills are brightly colored birds. They range from 4.5 to 11.25 inches (13 to 28 centimeters) in length, and live in the dense canopies of wet forests, allowing them to hide despite their brightly coloured plumage. The plumage of the three African broadbills in the genus Smithornis is in contrast dull and streaked. The bills, which give the family their common name, are broad, flat and hooked and relatively large eyes. Even though many are brightly colored, the Lord has designed them to blend in with their surroundings beautifully.

The broadbills are for the most part insectivorous and carnivorous. Prey taken include insects, spiders, centipedes and millipedes, as well as lizards and tree frogs. Prey is obtained by sallying from a perch to snatch it in flight, and gleaning the prey off leaves and branches while flying. Some species may take some fruit (figs being their favorite), but only the green broadbills of the genus Calyptomena and the African Green Broadbill are primarily frugivores (which also take some insects as well).

They are generally gregarious, with many species moving about in flocks of about 20 individuals. Broadbills attach their purse-shaped nests to suspended vines, and leave a tail of fibres hanging below it. This gives the nest the appearance of being random debris caught in the tree, an effect further enhanced by the birds covering the nest with lichen and spider webs.

Long-tailed Broadbill (Psarisomus dalhousiae) in nest by Peter Ericsson

Most Broadbills are monogamous, some have quite a courtship dispay and typically she lays two to three eggs. Both participate in nest building and in some species they have “helpers” with the young. Here are some of those verses:

Mostly active early and late in the day, otherwise they are sedentary and perched with their neck pulled in, disguised in the foliage.

Maybe the Lord would like us to look at the broad bills of the Broadbill and be reminded of Scripture. Broad or broader is mentioned over 30 times throughout the Bible.

Dusky Broadbill (Corydon sumatranus) ©©Mike

David repeated in Psalm 18:19 what had been written in 2 Samuel:

He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me. (Psalms 18:19 NKJV)
He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me. “The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the LORD, And have not wickedly departed from my God. For all His judgments were before me; And as for His statutes, I did not depart from them. (2 Samuel 22:20-23 NKJV)

Let those who fear the LORD now say, “His mercy endures forever.” I called on the LORD in distress; The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? (Psalms 118:4-6 NKJV)

Black-and-red Broadbill (Cymbirhynchus macrorhynchos) by Ian

The wicked wait for me to destroy me, But I will consider Your testimonies. I have seen the consummation of all perfection, But Your commandment is exceedingly broad. Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. (Psalms 119:95-97 NKJV)

But there the glorious LORD will be unto us a place of broad rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither shall gallant ship pass thereby. (Isaiah 33:21 KJV)

Long-tailed Broadbill (Psarisomus dalhousiae) babies ©©coracii

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV)

Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than heaven– what can you do? Deeper than Sheol– what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth And broader than the sea. (Job 11:7-9 NKJV)

Green Broadbill (Calyptomena viridis) by Peter Ericsson

The Broadbills are in the Eurylaimidae Family and has 20 members at present. The Eurylaimidae-Broadbills are in the Passeriformes or Perching Bird Order.

Sources from Wikipedia, Complete Birds of the World, Days of Praise and others.

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