From Opus

Photo by martinuk
Nat Ma Taung (Mount Victoria), Chin State, Myanmar, February, 2011

Photo by James Eaton
Mishmi Hills, Arunachal Pradesh,NE, India, April 2007

Alternative names: Austen's Barwing; Walden's Barwing; Manipur Barwing

Actinodura waldeni

[edit] Identification

20 - 22cm. A short-tailed, rufous Barwing:

• Black-and-tan barring on wing and tail
• Indistinct grey-brown streaks on throat and breast
• Pale grey-brown fringes on crest
• Weakly defined blackish malar stripe
• Head greyish
• Underparts rufous (waldeni) to whitish-grey (daflaensis)

Sexes similar. Juveniles have browner crest, weakly streaked throat and warmer brown underparts.

[edit] Similar species

Hoary-throated Barwing is similar but has a broad blackish moustache ond no streaks on throat and breast.

[edit] Distribution

Northeast India, adjacent Tibet, west and north Burma and adjacent south China (Yunnan).
Restricted-range species but common in parts of its range.

[edit] Taxonomy

Four subspecies recognized:

• A. w. daflaensis in southeast Tibet and northeast India (Arunachal Pradesh)
• A. w. waldeni in northeast India (Assam, Nagaland, Manipur) and adjacent north Burma
• A. w. poliotis in west Burma
• A. w. saturatior in north Burma and Yunnan (China)

Has been considered conspecific with Hoary-throated Barwing or may form a superspecies with it. Hybrids obviously occur.
Sometimes placed in the genus Ixops.

[edit] Habitat

Mossy broadleaf evergreen forest, mixed forest, oak and rhododendron forest and bamboo. Found at 1700 - 3300m.

[edit] Behaviour

Feeds on insects, molluscs and fruits.
Usually seen singly, in pairs or in small groups of 5 to 10 birds. Often joins bird waves. Forages in middle storey, clambering around mossy tree trunks, pulling apart moss in search of food.
Breeding season extens until October in India. No more information.
Resident species, some altitudinal movement may occur in harsh winters.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. 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
3. Rasmussen, PC and JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334672

• List of references

[edit] External Links