Golden Parrotbill Suthora verreauxi Scientific name definitions

11.5 cm; 5–7 g. Nominate subspecies has rich rufous-brown crown and nape, area round eye heavily marked black on whitish ground, loral area grayish, cheek and moustachial and malar areas whitish, ear-coverts orange-buff; upperparts warm chestnut-ochre; upperwing-coverts, including primary coverts, similar in color to upperparts; flight-feathers and tertials blackish, broadly edged white on inside, becoming rich buff on tertials, outer edges of secondaries rufous and narrowly tipped white, primaries with white outer fringe (varying in extent), inner primaries with narrow pale olive outer fringe, fringing at base of inner primaries and secondaries golden- rufous; tail graduated, warm chestnut on upperside, brighter and richer basally, duskier distally, with bright chestnut fringing on outer rectrices; center of throat black , bordered grayish below, underparts white centrally, with broad warm chestnut-ochre flanks; iris dark brown to red; bill plumbeous, lighter on lower mandible, or gray-pink to pinkish; legs dusky pink with plumbeous tinge. Sexes alike. Juvenile undescribed. Subspecies craddocki has rich rufescent-brown or golden-brown crown and nape, paler on forehead, upperparts somewhat paler and more olive-tinged, paler still and more rufescent on rump and uppertail-coverts, narrow white supercilium (to just behind eye); pallida differs from nominate in having paler and less rufous crown and nape, which are perhaps a little more buffish-olive or golden-olive, more rufous-buff forecrown, slightly paler and more buff postocular supercilium and ear-coverts, and buffier flanks; <em>morrisoniana</em> is similar to last, but hindcrown to back  , scapulars and upperwing-coverts duller and distinctly more olive-grayish, supercilium longer behind eye and grayer in front of it and on lores, broadly sooty-blackish below eye, ear-coverts mixed with greyish-white, throat all black, upper flanks with distinctly more olive-grayish wash.

Has in the past been treated as conspecific with Black-throated Parrotbill (Suthora nipalensis). In China, birds from Ailao Shan (central Yunnan) of uncertain subspecific identity, currently included in craddocki; specimens from Guizhou sometimes assigned to subspecies pallida, but this seems unlikely from geographical point of view. Initially described as Suthora gularis, but that name preoccupied. Four subspecies recognized.

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.

Bamboo , edge of broadleaf evergreen forest; Arundinaria bamboo in hemlock (Tsuga) forest. Found at 1500–3000 m in SE Asia; in China at 1000–2200 m, locally down to 330 m in winter; at 2000–3050 m in Taiwan .

Feeds on tiny larvae, small beetles (Coleoptera), and seeds. Found in pairs or in small parties of up to ten individuals; often associates with babblers (Timaliidae), including laughingthrushes, in mixed feeding flocks.

Song of nominate subspecies “chúúr-díí”, shorter and weaker than that of Black-throated Parrotbill (Suthora nipalensis); also utters thin high-pitched, wispy “hsu-ssu-ssu-ssi”, which could represent a second type of song. Typical calls of nominate and craddocki are quite harsh, low, slightly spluttering, e.g. “trr’it” or “trr’eet”, “trrit”, “trr-rr-rr” and “trr-rrt”, strongly reminiscent of certain calls of Golden-breasted Fulvetta (Lioparus chrysotis); foraging flocks of these two subspecies also utter jumble of high “it”, “twit”, “tit” and “tip” notes; nominate also gives thin, high, rather hoarse, breathless “tssuu” and “tssuu’tirr”.

Following details apply to Taiwan subspecies morrisoniana. Breeds in Jul. Nest built  by both sexes, reported as a rough egg-shaped structure, entrance hole at one side of top, constructed mostly of green moss, lined with fine fibres  , external dimensions 15 × 9 cm, entrance diameter 2.7 cm, internal depth from entrance 4.5 cm; situated 1.5 m above ground in Arundinaria bamboo. Clutch of 3 unglossed pale milky-blue eggs, dimensions 15–16 × 11.8–12 mm; both sexes incubate. No other information.

Not globally threatened. Widespread, and generally not uncommon in suitable habitat, throughout its range. Locally common in China; uncommon to locally common within its small area of distribution in Southeast Asia.