Yellow-billed Grosbeak Eophona migratoria Scientific name definitions

15–18 cm; 40–57 g (China). Medium-large, large-billed grosbeak with long forked tail. Male nominate race has head to upper nape, chin and throat black, bordered by narrow pale buff band; nape and upperparts pale greyish-brown or greyish-buff, lower back and rump somewhat paler, uppertail-coverts white, longest (or rearmost) uppertail-coverts black; tail bluish-black; upperwing black, glossed bluish, primary coverts broadly tipped white, distal third of outer five primaries white, tips of secondaries and tertials white; underparts same colour as upperparts or slightly paler buff, flanks warm buff or light rufous, vent to undertail-coverts white; iris black; bill yellow , with grey to greenish-yellow or blackish cutting edges and tip; legs brown to pinkish-brown. Female is similar to male, but lacks black on head; forehead, lores and chin dark grey or blackish, rest of head grey, upperparts pale greyish-buff, paler grey on rump, uppertail-coverts and central tail grey, all outer rectrices black; upperwing as on male, with distal fringes of outer primaries and tips of secondaries white, tertials brown, finely tipped white; underparts as on male or pale greyish-buff, flanks ginger or tawny-brown; bare parts much as for male. Juvenile is similar to female, but with buffish lores, plain pale face and whitish chin, broad pale buff or buff-brown tips on median and greater upperwing-coverts, tail greyish centrally with black or bluish-black edges and tip. Race <em>sowerbyi</em> is slightly larger and larger-billed than nominate race, bill with curved culmen and deeper base, upperparts variably slightly darker or more sandy, throat and breast are greyer, and sometimes with heavier tinge of ginger or light rufous on the flanks.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Migratory. Nominate race migrates between S and SSW to winter quarters in S China and Taiwan, also regular passage migrant and winter visitor in S Japan, scarce and local visitor to Hong Kong; departs from breeding areas between mid-Aug and mid-Sept, arrives in wintering area late Aug to Nov; return from early May, passage through S Ussuriland mid-May to early Jun, and present in breeding area in Korea May to early Oct. Race sowerbyi less well known; migrates to non-breeding quarters in S China (Yunnan). Vagrant in N Myanmar, EC Thailand, N Laos, N Vietnam (E Tonkin) and the Philippines (Batanes, Oct 1991) (1 Jensen, A. E., T. H. Fisher, and R. O. Hutchinson (2015). Notable new bird records from the Philippines. Forktail 31:24–36. Close ). Individuals recorded in Europe (Faeroes, Sweden and Germany) considered to have originated from captivity.

Seeds of various trees and shrubs, also some fruit, including berries ; also insects. Nestlings fed mostly with insects and larvae. Forages in trees and bushes, and on ground; often remains concealed within foliage or in upper branches. Generally in pairs; on passage and in non-breeding season occasionally gathers in larger numbers.

Song is a loud series of whistles, transcribed as "chee chee choree kirichoo", similar to that of E. personata. Call is a loud "tek-tek".

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Locally common to scarce or irregular. Has bred in SC Japan (Kyushu); recently (2003) bred in Hong Kong; presumed to have bred in 2007 in Taiwan, where juveniles present in summer on Kinmen I (situated off Chinese Fujian coast). This species is widely trapped for the cagebird trade in China.