White-eared Sibia Heterophasia auricularis Scientific name definitions

22–24 cm; mean 48 g. Elegant babbler with black head, wings and tail, protracted white eyestripe , grey and rufous body. Crown is glossy bluish-black, contrasting sharply with prominent white stripe from lores through eye (including eyering) to upper rear ear-coverts, stripe ending in long filamen­tous plumes; neck side, mantle and upper back dull grey, lower back, rump and uppertail-coverts rufous-chestnut; upperwing glossy bluish-black with narrow whitish wingpanel, tail brownish-black with pale grey to whitish tips; throat maroon-brown becoming paler on breast , belly pinkish-rufous or salmon-buff; iris brown; bill black; legs brownish-flesh. Sexes similar. Juvenile apparently undescribed.

Taiwan.

Nectar and insects, taken from flowers; also acorns (including those of oak genus Pasania), berries, fruits (including climbing figs) and seeds. Singly, in pairs or in small parties. Forages in middle to upper storeys, primarily in canopy, but also descends to undergrowth. Very active, and not shy.

Song a loud, beautiful, resonant “fei fei fei yo”, “weep-weep-weep-weeeooo” or a pleasant “wii-wiíuu” wolf-whistle. Warning calls include loud, sibilant, slightly tailing-off “sírrrrrrrrr” , repeated frequently but irregularly, often interspersed with short loud hard “sip” notes.