• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Grey-hooded Parrotbill - BirdForum Opus

Page Discussion
View source History

Alternative names: Crested Parrotbill; Dusky Parrotbill; Zappey's Parrotbill; Dusky Crowtit

Photo by James Eaton
Shaanxi, China, June 2010
Sinosuthora zappeyi

Paradoxornis zappeyi

Identification

12.5cm (5 in). A distinctive parrotbill:

  • Bushy grey crest
  • Mouse-grey forehead to uppermost mantle
  • Dark grey lores and region above eye, head side paler grey
  • White eye-ring
  • Slightly rufescent mid-brown upperparts
  • Dark greyish to dark brownish flight feathers
  • Dark greyish to dark brownish-grey tail
  • Whitish throat
  • Pale grey underparts, warm buffy flanks and undertail-coverts

Sexes similar. Juveniles undescribed.

Distribution

Endemic to south-central China (Sichuan and Guizhou).
Locally common but with a very restricted range. So far recorded at only nine places, eg. Wawu Shan and Emei Shan.

Taxonomy

This species was formerly placed in the genus Paradoxornis.

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized:

  • S. z. erlangshancius in Erlang Shan, south-central Sichuan
  • S. z. zappeyi in south-central Sichuan (excluding Erlang Shan) and northwest Guizhou

Subspecies erlangshancius is not recognised by some authorities[1], [2].

Habitat

Bushes and bamboo in open mountain-top conifer forest. Occurs at 2350 - 3437m.

Behaviour

Resident species. Some minor altitudinal movements are likely.

Diet

Feeds on insects, takes also seeds.
Usually seen foraging in low vegetation in groups of up to 10 birds.

Breeding

Breeding season from May to June. The nest is a large, very deep cup-shaped structure made of moss. One was woven around bamboo stems. Lays 2 - 4 eggs.

Vocalisation

A flock of birds

Recording by china guy, August 2011

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Avibase
  3. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2007. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553422

Recommended Citation

External Links

Retrieved from ‘https://www.birdforum.net/wiki/index.php?title=Grey-hooded_Parrotbill&oldid=247923’
Back
Top