Gould's Shortwing
Heteroxenicus stellatus
栗背短翅鸫
Introduction
A species of passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It occurs in the Himalayas (primarily Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Bhutan), Yunnan in China, and northern regions of Myanmar and Vietnam. This species breeds in the eastern Himalayas in rocky areas above the tree-line and migrates to lower altitudes in wooded valleys for winter. It represents the only extant species within the genus Heteroxenicus, having been formerly classified in the genus Brachypteryx. The specific epithet stellatus refers to the Latin for 'starry' or 'set with stars,' alluding to the bird's spotted underparts.
Description
A small passerine measuring 12–13 cm in length with a body mass of 19–23 g. The upperparts are chestnut-colored while the underparts are dark grey. The belly features distinctive small white spots or star-like markings. It possesses relatively long brown legs and a black bill. The male and female exhibit similar plumage. No information exists regarding the nest structure or eggs.
Distribution & Habitat
Range extends through the central Himalayas to south China and northeastern Myanmar for the nominate subspecies, while the subspecies H. s. fuscus occurs in northwest Vietnam. During the breeding season, it inhabits rocky terrain above the treeline in the eastern Himalayas. In winter, it descends to wooded valleys at lower elevations.
Behavior & Ecology
No detailed information available regarding diet, breeding behavior, social structure, or vocalizations.
Conservation
No conservation assessment or population data provided in source material.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Muscicapidae
- Genus
- Heteroxenicus
- eBird Code
- gousho1
Subspecies (2)
-
Heteroxenicus stellatus fuscus
mountains of northern Vietnam (northwestern Tonkin)
-
Heteroxenicus stellatus stellatus
Himalayas (Nepal to Bhutan, southeastern Tibet, southwestern China, and northeastern Myanmar)
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.