Irenidae
Họ Chim lam

General

The following is based on analysis of dictionaries and other sources. Comments and corrections welcome. Malaysian names are now being updated. For consistency, Vietnamese bird names (except for ducks and chickens) are preceded by the word Chim meaning 'bird'. Ornithological lists mostly omit this as understood. Hover over Green Lettering Green lettering at this site hides a tool tip with glosses, further explanations, etc. Hover cursor to reveal. to see additional information.

The Asian Fairy-Bluebird (Irena puella) is known in Vietnamese as Chim lam 'blue bird'. The leaf birds are called Chim xanh 'blue/green bird', reflecting their bright green colour.

In Vietnamese tradition, the terms Chim lam or 'blue bird' and Chim xanh 'blue/green bird' are used in romantic literature for the 'blue bird', a mythical bird that carried messages between lovers. The name and associated tradition are derived from the Chinese 藍鳥 lán niǎo 'blue bird', which is often translated into English as 'fairy blue bird'.

It is rather unlikely that the traditional 'fairy blue bird' was actually modelled on Irena puella, since it is found only in remote parts of Yunnan and Tibet, territories not occupied by the Chinese until well after the 藍鳥 lán niǎo legend arose. It seems more likely that the name of the legendary bird was a later adoption into ornithological usage.

Species names

IRENINAE
SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN		VIETNAMESE		EAST ASIAN		S. E. ASIAN
Irena
Latin	English/French	Vietnamese	Other V	Chinese	Japanese	Thai	Malaysian	Indonesian
Irena puella	Asian fairy-bluebird Asian blue-backed fairy bluebird Blue-mantled fairy bluebird Blue-backed fairy bluebird Irène vierge	Chim lam 'blue bird' (12, 34)		和平鸟 (和平鳥) hépíng-niǎo 'peace bird'	ルリコノハドリ (瑠璃木の葉鳥 ~ 琉璃木の葉鳥) ruri ko-no-ha dori 'lapis lazuli leaf-bird'	นกเขียวคราม nók kʰĭaw-kʰraam 'indigo-green bird'	Burung Murai Gajah 'elephant thrush bird' (26, 27) Burung Dendang Gajah 'elephant crow (bird)' (24)	Burung Kecembang Gadung 'gadung fairybluebird (bird)' (gadung is woody vine Dioscorea hispida or D. daemona, known as intoxicating yam)
CHLOROPSEINAE
SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN		VIETNAMESE		EAST ASIAN		S. E. ASIAN
Chloropsis
Latin	English/French	Vietnamese	Other V	Chinese	Japanese	Thai	Malaysian	Indonesian
Chloropsis aurifrons	Golden-fronted leafbird Verdin à front d'or	Chim xanh trán vàng 'yellow-foreheaded blue/green bird' (12, 13, 34)		金额叶鹎 (金額葉鵯) jīn-é yè-bēi 'gold-foreheaded leaf-bulbul'	キビタイコノハドリ (黄額木の葉鳥) ki-bitai ko-no-ha dori 'yellow-foreheaded leaf-bird'	นกเขียวก้านตองหน้าผากสีทอง nók kʰĭaw-kâan-toaaŋ nâa-pʰàak-sĭi-tʰoaaŋ 'gold-foreheaded bananaleaf-stem green-bird'		Burung Cica-daun Dahi-emas 'gold-foreheaded leaf-bulbul (bird)' (onomat.)
Chloropsis hardwickii Chloropsis hardwickei	Orange-bellied leafbird Verdin de Hardwick	Chim xanh hông vàng 'yellow-flanked blue/green bird' (12, 13)	Chim xanh bụng vàng 'yellow-bellied blue/green bird' (34)	橙腹叶鹎 (橙腹葉鵯) chéng-fù yè-bēi 'orange-bellied leaf-bulbul'	アカハラコノハドリ (赤腹木の葉鳥) aka-hara ko-no-ha dori 'red-bellied leaf-bird'	นกเขียวก้านตองท้องสีส้ม nók kʰĭaw-kâan-toaaŋ tʰóaaŋ-sĭi-sôm 'orange-bellied bananaleaf-stem green-bird'	Burung Daun Perut Oren 'orange-bellied leaf-bird' (26) Burung Daun Bukit 'hill leaf-bird' (27) Burung Daun Paruh Oren 'orange-billed leaf-bird' (erroneous) (24)
Chloropsis cochinchinensis	Blue-winged leafbird Verdin à tête jaune	Chim xanh Nam bộ 'Southern blue/green bird' (12, 34)		蓝翅叶鹎 (藍翅葉鵯) lán-chì yè-bēi 'blue-winged leaf-bulbul'	アオバネコノハドリ (青羽木の葉鳥) ao-bane ko-no-ha dori 'blue/green-winged leaf-bird'	นกเขียวก้านตองปีกสีฟ้า nók kʰĭaw-kâan-toaaŋ pìik-sĭi-faa 'sky-blue-winged bananaleaf-stem green-bird'	Burung Daun Sayap Biru 'blue-winged leaf-bird' (24, 26, 27)	Burung Cica-daun Sayap-biru 'blue-winged leaf-bulbul (bird)' (onomat.)

Danh Lục Chim Việt Nam (In lần thứ hai) (Checklist of the Birds of Vietnam) Võ Quý, Nguyễn Cử, Nhà Xuất Bản Nông Nghiệp, Hà Nội 1999

Chim Việt Nam Nguyễn Cử, Lê Trọng Trải, Karen Phillipps; Nhà Xuất Bản Lao Động - Xã Hội, 2000

Senarai Nama-nama Burung Semenanjung Malaysia dan Asia Tenggara by Ismail, Abdul Rahman, Perhilitan (Jabatam Perlindungan Hidupan Liar dan Taman Negara, Semenanjung Malaysia), Kuala Lumpur 1981
(List of the Names of Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Southeast Asia by Ismail, Abdul Rahman, Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Peninsular Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 1981)

A Field Guide to the Birds of West Malaysia and Singapore by Jeyarajasingam, Allen and Alan Pearson, Oxford University Press, Oxford 1999

The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula: Vol. 2 - Passerines by Wells, David R., Christopher Helm, A&C Black, London 2007

Danh Lục Các Loài Chim ở Việt Nam (Latinh, Việt, Pháp, Hán) Trần Văn Chánh 2008-2009