Fulvous Parrotbill Suthora fulvifrons Scientific name definitions

12–12.5 cm; female 7 g (chayulensis). Nominate subspecies has whitish-buff forehead, rich buff forecrown fading to hindcrown, dark grayish-olive lateral crown­stripe (starting more narrowly above eye, very broad on rear crown side and fading onto nape side), and rich buff eyering and narrow supercilium (from eye); nape and upperparts warm buffish-gray with olive tinge, rump and uppertail-coverts more rich buffish; upper­wing-coverts similar to mantle, but outwardly edged rufous on greater and primary coverts and darker on inner webs; flight-feathers and tertials gray-black (first tertial similar to mantle), with white inner edges which decrease in extent from innermost primaries outwards (and are rich buff on tertials), primary P10 with narrow whitish outer fringe at base, P9 with narrow whitish edge extending almost to tip (rich buff at base), P8-P6 with more prominent edge rich buff basally and white terminally, P5 similar but with narrow fringe, P4 similar but with very narrow fringe almost lacking rich buff part, P3 and P2 have whitish edge narrowly near tip only and a blackish mid-section, P1 and secondaries and tertials have outer edges rufous and a little more pale buff near tips, secondaries may have narrow whitish to pale buff outer fringe near tip; tail strongly graduated, dark brownish with bright rufous outer fringes (broader at base), and broadly darker and more blackish at tip; lores and ear-coverts similar to upperparts, but malar area, area behind ear-coverts, throat and breast rich buff, with whitish patch behind lower ear-coverts extending to lower malar area; belly whitish in center and grayer at side (lower flanks), thighs and undertail-coverts dull buffish (latter whiter when worn); in fresh plumage, a little more rufous-washed above and slightly deeper rufous on wing and tail, slightly richer buff below, with more rich buff mixed in on belly; iris red-brown to brown; bill pink or pinkish-horn with dark horn to blackish-gray culmen; legs plumbeous-brown to dark horn-brown or fleshy-brown or olive-colored. Sexes alike. Juvenile is somewhat darker than adult, particularly on underside. Subspecies chayulensis has paler and more gray-white belly to undertail-coverts than nominate (other supposed differences are probably the result of worn plumage); albifacies has much darker, slaty-blackish lateral crownstripes which vaguely meet on slaty-gray nape, slightly grayer upperparts than nominate, slightly more rufescent head side, throat and breast, slightly darker tail and wing fringing (other supposed differences are result of worn plumage); cyanophrys is warmer/brighter than previous, has lateral crownstripes blue-gray and much more conspicuously joining on nape, also circumocular region, cheeks, parts of ear-coverts and neck side more rich buff, mantle/back warmer and more of a bright mustard color, and outer fringes of tail feathers and secondaries somewhat paler and less deep rufous, bill sometimes blackish with base and entire lower mandible pink.

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.

Birds reported from western Arunachal Pradesh, in northeastern India, included in nominate, but may belong with subspecies chayulensis. 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.

Occurs almost exclusively in dense bamboo in or near forest, at 2440–3660 m, mainly above 2700 m, but in China locally down to 1700 m; claimed occurrence as high as 4115 m and 4575 m in China considered doubtful. Occasionally strays into low vegetation close to stands of bamboo.

Sedentary, although governed by its dependence on bamboo.

Feeds on bamboo and birch (Betula) buds, tiny seeds, and insects; ingests some grit. Outside breeding season, at least, found in parties of up to 20–30 or more individuals, travelling very quickly. Seeks food in crevices of unopened bamboo sheaths.

Song (nominate subspecies) a high-pitched “si-tsiiii chúú” or “si-siii júú”, “si-ti’ti’tituuuu-jhííú” and “si-tituuuu-jhííú” etc., first 2 notes thin (first one lowest and sometimes doubled, tripled or omitted, and second more drawn out and very thin and piercing) and end note harsher; or “si-si’ssuuu-júúú” (with rising “suuu”); also, “si-si’sissu-suu-u” and “si-si’sissu-suuu”, with thin end notes. Short contact calls include combinations of subdued “twip” and “tip” notes and husky low “chew-chew-chew” and “cher-cher-cher-cher…” (all nominate subspecies); also, repeated subdued, slightly spluttering “trrrip” call notes (cyanophrys).

Specimens with active gonads in Jun–Jul in southeastern Tibet. No other information on wild-living individuals. In captivity, one nest was situated 1.1 m above ground, on 29 Apr contained 5 blue eggs similar to those of Dunnock (Prunella modularis), and two young fledged on 9 May.

Not globally threatened. Uncommon to fairly common throughout its relatively restricted and narrow Sino-Himalayan range. Scarce to locally common in Himalayas. Occurs in several protected areas, including e.g. Langtang National Park (Nepal), Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in western Arunachal Pradesh (northeastern India) and Foping Panda Reserve in Shaanxi (China).