Family Old World Warblers and Parrotbills (Sylviidae)

Least Concern

Yunnan Parrotbill (Sinosuthora ricketti)

figure, drawing, illustration of Yunnan Parrotbill (Sinosuthora ricketti)

Taxonomy

French: Paradoxornis de Rickett German: Yunnanpapageimeise Spanish: Picoloro de Yunnan
Taxonomy:

Paradoxornis webbiana ricketti

Rothschild

, 1922,

Yangtze Valley, north-western Yunnan

.

Until recently considered conspecific with S. brunnea, but differs genetically#R and in its creamy-white vs blackish iris (3); black eyering with whitish area immediately around it (2); paler head sides than crown, giving capped appearance (ns[1]); long narrow brown streaks on greyish-white chin to lower breast vs on pinkish-buff throat with plainer pinkish-buff breast (1); marginally paler belly (ns); darker chestnut crown to mantle, although this not apparent on all specimens (ns); more rasping calls (allow 1)#R. Monotypic.

What do (1) and (2) mean? Learn more about the scoring system.
Distribution:

SW Sichuan (from Yalong Jiang) SW to NW Yunnan (to Lijiang Range and area E of L Er Hai), in S China.

Descriptive notes

c. 12–13 cm. Adult has dark chestnut crown to uppermost mantle (sometimes faint greyish hindcollar present), somewhat paler sides of head, contrasting warm brown upperparts;... read more

Voice

Little published information. Twittering sounds and rasping calls heard; alarm call a repeated fast... read more

Habitat

Scrub and grass areas, also thickets, and sometimes at forest edges or within open areas of forest... read more

Food and feeding

Little information. Feeds on insects and grass seeds. Forages in small groups (up to 15 individuals recorded together) outside breeding... read more

Breeding

Limited information. One nest found in mid Jun, made from grasses and sparsely lined with finer darker fibres (perhaps horsehair or grass... read more

Movements

Presumably sedentary.

Status and conservation

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Uncommon to fairly common. The population size of this poorly known species has not been assessed; further, it is difficult to... read more

Recommended citation

del Hoyo, J., Collar, N. & Christie, D.A. (2020). Yunnan Parrotbill (Sinosuthora ricketti). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/1343951 on 18 February 2020).