Blue-winged Minla
Actinodura cyanouroptera
蓝翅希鹛
Introduction
This species belongs to the Leiothrichidae family. It inhabits the mountainous regions of South and Southeast Asia, frequenting subtropical and tropical moist montane forests. It moves through the middle and upper canopy layers and forages in mixed-species flocks, searching for insects and small invertebrates among branches and foliage. It is not considered globally threatened but is vulnerable to deforestation and habitat fragmentation due to its dependence on intact forest habitats. It demonstrates some tolerance for degraded forests and secondary growth, though it remains most abundant in primary montane forest environments.
Distribution & Habitat
This species occupies a broad geographic range across the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Its distribution extends through Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and the Himalayan region of Tibet, continuing eastward through Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and China. In Southeast Asia, its range reaches into northern Malaysia. The species is restricted to montane environments, where it inhabits subtropical and tropical moist forests at various elevations throughout its range.
Behavior & Ecology
As a forest-dwelling species, this bird forages actively through the canopy and middle story of montane forests. It typically associates with mixed-species flocks, moving through the foliage in search of insects and other small invertebrates. While specific details about its breeding behavior, diet, and vocalizations are not extensively documented in available sources, its social behavior suggests it is moderately gregarious, particularly outside the breeding season.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Leiothrichidae
- Genus
- Actinodura
- eBird Code
- blwmin1
Vocalizations
Subspecies (8)
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Actinodura cyanouroptera aglae
hill forest of southeastern Assam and western Myanmar
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Actinodura cyanouroptera cyanouroptera
Himalayas (Uttar Pradesh to Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, and eastern Assam)
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Actinodura cyanouroptera orientalis
eastern Cambodia and southern Vietnam
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Actinodura cyanouroptera rufodorsalis
mountains of southeastern Thailand and southwestern Cambodia
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Actinodura cyanouroptera sordida
eastern and southern Myanmar to northwestern Thailand
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Actinodura cyanouroptera sordidior
mountains of peninsular Thailand and northern Malaya
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Actinodura cyanouroptera wingatei
northeastern Myanmar eastward to southern China, southward to Laos and northern Vietnam
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Actinodura cyanouroptera wirthi
southern Laos
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.