Rufous Sibia Heterophasia capistrata Scientific name definitions

21–24 cm; 28–47 g. Slender buffy-rufous babbler with black head, blue-grey in wings and tail, slender decurved bill. Nominate race has crown and head side (lores, ear-coverts, submoustachial area) black with slightly elongate feathers, forecrown with greyish tinge, clear-cutting to continuous buffy-rufous nuchal collar, neck side and underparts , and shading to soft pale brown-tinged grey on lower mantle, back and scapulars, and to slightly richer rufous on rump and uppertail-coverts; tail broadly tipped grey, central feathers pale dull rufous with broad blackish subterminal tips, outer feathers mainly blackish; greater upperwing-coverts blue-grey with white transverse band, primary coverts black, flight-feathers with bluish-white and blue-grey fringes, tertials dull rufous with blue-grey tips; iris reddish-brown; bill black; legs brownish-flesh. Sexes similar. Juvenile has crown and head sides brownish-black, upperparts bright rufous, paler rufous below, reduced and buff-tinged white on greater coverts. Race nigriceps has all-black crown, brighter brownish-rufous underparts, more brownish-grey upperparts, more rufous-chestnut rump and warmer uppertail; <em>bayleyi</em> is like previous but has colder, darker upperparts , browner tertials, brown iris.

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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, particularly oak; also mixed broadleaf-coniferous forest (oak, fir and chestnut, etc.), secondary growth, scrub, locally deciduous forest, borders of cultivation, gardens. Found at 1200–3410 m (below 2700 m in W, mainly 2000–3000 m in E), locally down to c. 800 m, some as low as 100 m during harsh winter conditions. In Bhutan summer range 1600–3000 m, occasionally to 3200 m, largely coinciding with extent of oak; in winter keeps within this range but relatively small numbers descend to 800 m or even 200 m.

Resident; minor altitudinal displacements by small proportion of population in winter.

Insects and berries. Visits rhododendron and silk-cotton tree (Bombax ceiba) flowers in search of insects and nectar ; pair in captivity caught many wild wasps (Hymenoptera) drawn into cage by aphids (Aphidoidea) under bamboo and by jam, feeding wasps to young after de-stinging them; other captives noted for frequent flycatching, however small the prey. Found in small monospecific parties up to 20 individuals outside breeding season; occasionally joins mixed feeding flocks, which may contain other babblers. Arboreal, hunting in canopy and among moss-laden and lichen-covered trunks and thick understorey foliage, occasionally descending to undergrowth.

Song, heard all year but mostly Apr–Aug, a clear high-pitched, silvery, slightly descending, quickly whistled “ss-iu’u-iu’u” or “ss-diwi’di-diwi’di” (first note less clear), repeated every 6–10 seconds; described also as “sweesuweesuweesuweet” (first part sometimes more slurred), and similar but only slightly descending “sisiusuu-suu-suu-suu”. Calls include familiar grating, rattling “twitti-ti”, “trittitititit” and “kjit-jit-jit-jit”, single “twit” and “tittit” notes, jarring “jhut-jhut-jhut-jhut…”, and thin “trr’rrt” and “trrrii’ii”; alarm a harsh “chrai-chrai-chrai”.

Apr–Aug. Nest, built by both sexes, a neat cup of green moss, dry grasses and dry leaves, firmly interwoven and lined with rootlets, pine needles or other fine material, placed 2–18 m (usually 7–8 m) above ground in tree or bush, often near extremity of branch. Clutch 2–3 eggs (usually 3 in India), pale bluish-grey, clouded, spotted and lined with various shades of brown; incubation reportedly by female alone, but both sexes incubate in captivity, where period 14 days; nestling period in captivity 15–16 days.

Not globally threatened. Commonest and most widespread sibia in main Himalayan range. Locally frequent in Pakistan. Common in Nepal. Abundant throughout temperate zone in Bhutan, where probably the commonest forest bird species, at least in areas with good forest cover; near Zhemgang, density of 13 territories/km of road at 1600–1900 m, highest value for any avian species in area; present in Thrumshingla National Park. Common in India, but uncommon in Majhatal Harsang Wildlife Sanctuary (Himachal Pradesh); fairly common in Dehra Dun valley (Uttaranchal) and present in Buxa Tiger Reserve (West Bengal). Status in Tibet unknown.