Fulvous Parrotbill
Suthora fulvifrons
黄额鸦雀
Introduction
Small passerine bird in the family Paradoxornithidae. Found across the Himalayas and central China, including Nepal, Bhutan, northeast India, north Burma, and southern and central China. Inhabits dense montane bamboo stands at elevations of 2,440-3,660 meters, typically above 2,700 meters but sometimes down to 1,700 meters. A bamboo specialist that feeds on bamboo and birch buds, seeds, and insects. Forms flocks of 20-30 individuals outside breeding season. Non-migratory.
Description
Small bird measuring 12-12.5 cm in length. The plumage is dominated by rich buff coloration on the head, upper wing coverts, flanks, rump, and tail. The belly is white. The face features a distinctive black stripe above the eye that varies in width, becoming larger toward the middle and smaller again, along with a faint white stripe below the face. The sexes are similar in appearance. Juveniles resemble adults but are darker, particularly on the underparts.
Distribution & Habitat
Four subspecies occupy a discontinuous range across the Himalayas and central China. The nominate subspecies occurs in central Nepal, Bhutan, and northeast India. Other subspecies are found in north India and south China, north Burma and nearby south China, and central China. Inhabits dense bamboo stands within or near montane forests at elevations of 2,440-3,660 meters. The species is not migratory.
Behavior & Ecology
Feeds on bamboo buds, birch buds, tiny seeds, and insects. Swallows grit to act as gizzard stones for digestion. Outside the breeding season, forms flocks of up to 20-30 birds. Nests are bowl-shaped structures built by both parents using bamboo leaves, rootlets, and mosses, placed 0.7-1.9 meters above ground in dense bamboo stands. Clutch size averages 3.3 pale blue eggs. Both parents share incubation and nestling care. Nesting success is low, possibly due to human disturbance.
Conservation
No specific conservation assessment or population data provided in the article.
Culture
No cultural significance or folklore mentioned in the article.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Paradoxornithidae
- Genus
- Suthora
- eBird Code
- fulpar1
Subspecies (4)
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Suthora fulvifrons albifacies
montane forest of southwestern China (southeastern Qinghai and northwestern Yunnan)
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Suthora fulvifrons chayulensis
montane forest of southeastern Tibet and northeastern Myanmar
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Suthora fulvifrons cyanophrys
mountains of southwestern China (western Sichuan, southeastern Gansu, and southern Shaanxi)
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Suthora fulvifrons fulvifrons
montane forest of Nepal, Sikkim, and Bhutan
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.