Vinous-throated Parrotbill
Suthora webbiana
棕头鸦雀
Introduction
A small passerine bird in the family Paradoxornithidae (formerly placed in Sylviidae or Timaliidae). It occupies a vast geographic range across China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Russia, Taiwan, and Vietnam, from northern Vietnam to southern Manchuria. Its natural habitat consists of subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, though it adapts to various open wooded habitats. The species exhibits highly social behavior, forming flocks of up to 140 individuals in winter. It is closely related to the ashy-throated parrotbill, with documented hybridization in Vietnam, China, and Italy.
Description
A small, long-tailed parrotbill measuring 11-12.5 cm in length. Males weigh 8.5-11 g, females 7-12 g. The tail is graduated and the distinctive short bill has nostrils concealed by feather bristles. Both sexes share similar plumage: warm brown upperparts, dark brown wings tinged chestnut on flight feathers, pinkish-cream upper breast and throat with brown streaks, buffy flanks, and cream-buff belly. The crown and forehead are rufescent brown with a pale grey iris. The bill ranges from slate grey to brown with a paler or yellow tip.
Distribution & Habitat
Range extends from northern Vietnam to southern Manchuria, encompassing China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Russia, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Inhabits open wooded habitats including scrub, secondary woodland stages, forest edges, thickets, bamboo stands, hedges, reeds, and marshes. Adapts to human-modified habitats such as tea plantations and plant nurseries. In China, found in lower montane areas. In Sichuan, replaced by ashy-throated parrotbill above 1,000 m elevation. In Taiwan, occurs from sea level to 3,100 m, occupying the widest ecological niche of any bird on the island.
Behavior & Ecology
Highly social species typically encountered in flocks. Flock size varies seasonally: smallest during breeding season, reaching up to 140 individuals in winter. Winter flock composition includes four categories: core members that remain permanently, regular members that generally stay but visit other flocks, floaters that move between flocks, and peripheral members present less than two months, likely visitors from other areas. Flock ranges can overlap with other flocks, and passing flocks maintain cohesion.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Paradoxornithidae
- Genus
- Suthora
- eBird Code
- vitpar1
Vocalizations
Subspecies (6)
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Suthora webbiana bulomacha
Taiwan
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Suthora webbiana elisabethae
montane forest of southern China (southeastern Yunnan) and northwestern Tonkin
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Suthora webbiana fulvicauda
northeastern China (southern Liaoning) to southern Korea
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Suthora webbiana mantschurica
eastern Manchuria to northeastern China (eastern Liaoning)
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Suthora webbiana suffusa
mountains of northwestern China (Shaanxi to western Sichuan, Jiangxi, and Guangdong)
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Suthora webbiana webbiana
coastal eastern China (southern Jiangsu and northern Zhejiang)
Data Sources
CBR Notes: 由Sinosuthora属移入Suthora属（Cai et al. 2019）
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.