Rufous-winged Fulvetta Schoeniparus castaneceps Scientific name definitions

10–13 cm; 8–12 g. Very small olive-brown and whitish babbler with pale-streaked dark chestnut crown, black-and-white face, and black and chestnut panels in wing. Nominate race has crown dull chestnut with buff (a few white) shaft streaks, upperparts dull olive-brown, upperwing and tail browner, greater wing-coverts and primary coverts black with white carpal, flight-feathers basally bright rufous in backward-narrowing wedge (wing­panel); long white supercilium , black upper ear-coverts and silvery-white lower ear-coverts bordered below by black cheek and short moustachial line; chin to belly whitish, submoustachial area, neck side, breast side, flanks, thighs and vent bright olive-ochre; iris dark brown to reddish-brown; bill horn-brown, paler lower mandible; legs brownish to dull yellow. Sexes similar. Juvenile has slightly duller, paler crown than adult, slightly more olive-ochre on underparts, generally across breast and belly. Race <em>exul</em> has darker crown and darker rufous wingpanel than nominate; stepanyani has still darker crown (maroon-brown), more chestnut wingpanel, buffier underparts; <em>soror</em> is like nominate, but crown brighter, wingpanel duller, bill larger.

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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.

Broadleaf evergreen forest, secondary forest, forest edge, bamboo, abandoned clearings; in C Laos also in Fokienia-dominated forest. Found at 300–3600 m in Indian Subcontinent, breeding mainly above 1525 m in Himalayas; 1975–2275 m in Tibet, elsewhere in China 900–2750 m (rarely, down to 300 m in winter); 760–3505 m, breeding above 1000 m, in SE Asia.

Insects ; occasionally tree sap. Found in large flocks, typically of 20–40 individuals, but up to 70 outside breeding season; sometimes forms core of mixed-species foraging flocks, which may contain other babblers. Flocks move very quickly. Climbs about moss-covered and lichen-covered trunks, usually within 9 m of ground, in manner of nuthatch (Sittta).

Apr–Jul in Indian Subcontinent and Tibet, and Jan–Jun in SE Asia. Nest , built by both sexes, a dome made of green moss, dry bamboo or other leaves, and fine roots, lined with fine grasses, stalks, fibres, dry leaves, rootlets and tendrils, placed among moss or creepers on tree trunk, in bush or sapling, on sloping moss-covered or fern-covered bank or snugly hidden in clump of ferns or orchids, 1–3 m above ground. Clutch 3–4 eggs, white with fine or tiny spots or blotches of inky-black or grey, sometimes with secondary markings of lavender, lilac or brown; incubation by both sexes. No other information.