Explore Taxonomy
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Pellorneidae
Genus
Schoeniparus
Surprise Me
Previous Rusty-capped Fulvetta
Next Puff-throated Babbler
- Dusky Fulvetta
© Cassie Liu
- Dusky Fulvetta
- Dusky Fulvetta
+2
- Dusky Fulvetta
- Dusky Fulvetta
- Dusky Fulvetta
Watch
- Dusky Fulvetta
Listen

Dusky Fulvetta Schoeniparus brunneus Scientific name definitions

Nigel Collar and Craig Robson
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated January 1, 2007

Sign in to see your badges

Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Field Identification

13–13·5 cm; 15–23 g. Nominate race has forehead to rump, upper­wing and tail dull rufescent brown, long, broad blackish lateral crownstripe from above eye to rear nape side; lores and supercilium drab greyish-brown, ear-coverts and area behind them buffy grey; throat and central belly whitish, submoustachial area similar but feathers flecked dark greyish-brown; breast and upper flanks greyish-buff, shading to dirty greyish-brown on lower flanks, thighs and vent; iris brownish-reddish; bill black to dark brown; legs yellowish to yellowish-grey, sometimes tinged pink. Distinguished from S. dubius by very different facial appearance, with supercilium and neck side grey and ear-coverts buffy grey. Sexes similar. Juvenile is presumably as adult. Race olivaceus is paler on head, with less rufescence on forehead, weaker crownstripes, slightly ochraceous lower flanks to vent; weigoldi has mid-crown and nape darker, throat and mid-belly clearer white, breastband very pale; superciliaris has more rufescent upperparts with less obvious dark fringes of crown feathers, paler head side, more contrasting blackish submoustachial area, whiter throat and mid-belly, paler breast, very faint streaking on throat and breast, warmer-coloured lower flanks to vent; argutus is like last, but lores and ear-coverts slightly paler, bill slightly thinner.

Systematics History

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

In the past, often considered conspecific with S. dubius, but the two occur sympatrically in China and differ morphologically. Five subspecies recognized.

Subspecies

SUBSPECIES

Schoeniparus brunneus olivaceus Scientific name definitions

Distribution

S-central China (Hubei, s Shaanxi and e Sichuan)
SUBSPECIES

Schoeniparus brunneus superciliaris Scientific name definitions

Distribution

SE China (E Guangxi and Hunan E to S Anhui, SW Zhejiang, W Fujian and C Guangdong).
SUBSPECIES

Schoeniparus brunneus argutus Scientific name definitions

Distribution

Hainan.
SUBSPECIES

Schoeniparus brunneus brunneus Scientific name definitions

Distribution

Taiwan.

Distribution

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.

Habitat

Broadleaf evergreen forest, grass-jungle, at 600–1700 m in China; mainly 1525–1830 m in Taiwan (elevational limits in N Taiwan 40–1590 m).

Movement

Resident.

Diet and Foraging

Insects, snails and seeds found in stomachs. Feeds on or near ground, skulking, in small parties; seen to move under leaf litter to forage.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Song on Emei Shan (Sichuan) delivered in hurried, loud, shrill, nervous phrases of 4–5 notes, “whi wi-wi-wich’uu”, “uu wi-witchi-chuu”, “yu wi-witchi-uu” and the like, repeated every 7–8 seconds; similar to songs of S. dubius and S. rufogularis. Rather low “jurt” calls repeated by foraging birds.

Breeding

Apr–Jun. Nest a loose dome or semi-dome, with entrance at upper part, made of leaf fibres, dead leaves (including those of Miscanthus) and grass, lined with dry grass, placed 0·1–2·5 m above ground in bush. Clutch 4–5 eggs, in Taiwan clutch size given as 2–3; white (Taiwan) to greenish-white, blotched and mottled/clouded with various shades of brown over spots of pale lilac and grey/blue-grey, sometimes with dark brown specks and short lines. No other information.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern
Not globally threatened. Fairly common to common in S China, where recently recorded at 15 (28%) of 54 sites surveyed (52 of which are nature reserves); widespread in wooded hills in Guangdong. Common in Taiwan.
Distribution of the Dusky Fulvetta - Range Map
Enlarge
  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Dusky Fulvetta

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Collar, N. and C. Robson (2020). Dusky Fulvetta (Schoeniparus brunneus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.dusful1.01
Birds of the World

Partnerships

A global alliance of nature organizations working to document the natural history of all bird species at an unprecedented scale.

American Ornithological Society American Ornithilogical Society Armonia Bolivia Aves Argentinas Avibase Aves Uruguay Birds Caribbean Bird Count India Conservación de Islas Corbidi Fundación Ñankulafkén Instituto Humboldt Lynx Edicions Oikonos Oriental Bird Club Ornithological Society Of The Middle East The Caucasus And Central Asia RED DE OBSERVADORES DE AVES Y VIDA SILVESTRE DE CHILE Roberts Birds Save Brasil Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute Union Venezolana De Ornitologos