Passeriformes / Prunellidae / Prunella
Alpine Accentor
Prunella collaris · 领岩鹨
Introduction
A small passerine in the family Prunellidae native to Eurasia and North Africa. It inhabits bare mountain areas with low vegetation above 2,000 m. The species exhibits a socially polygynandrous mating system where breeding groups consist of multiple males and females.
Description
Robin-sized at 15–17.5 cm (5.9–6.9 in) in length, slightly larger than the dunnock. Adults have an all-grey head, a streaked brown back resembling a house sparrow, and red-brown spotting on the underparts. The bill is fine and pointed. Sexes are similar, though males may show greater contrast. Young birds have browner heads and underparts.
Distribution & Habitat
Found throughout the mountains of southern temperate Europe, Lebanon, and Asia at heights above 2,000 m (6,600 ft). Mainly resident, wintering more widely at lower latitudes, with some individuals wandering as rare vagrants to Great Britain. Nine subspecies are recognized across ranges including southwest Europe, Turkey, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Himalayas, Tibet, Siberia, Japan, Korea, northeast China, and Taiwan.
Behavior & Ecology
Builds a neat nest low in a bush or rock crevice, laying 3–5 unspotted sky-blue eggs. Breeding groups comprise three or four males and three or four unrelated females in a polygynandrous system. Males form a dominance hierarchy with older alpha males. Females mate with multiple males, and DNA analysis confirms mixed paternity within broods. Males provide food to chicks only at nests where they are likely the true fathers.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Prunellidae
- Genus
- Prunella
Vocalizations
Subspecies (9)
-
Prunella collaris collaris
northwestern Africa; mountains of western and central Europe, southward to Italy, Slovenia, and northeastern Serbia and eastward to the Carpathian Mountains
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.
