Striated Yuhina - BirdForum Opus

Alternative names: White-browed Yuhina; Chestnut-headed Yuhina

Photo by robby thai
Chong Yen Mae Wong National Park, Thailand, March 2016

Staphida castaniceps

Yuhina castaniceps

Identification

With 13 - 15cm (5-6 in) a typical Yuhina with very variable subspecies and colour variations within subspecies:

• Short crest (rufous in nominate, grey in other subspecies)
• Chestnut ear-coverts
• Strongly graduated tail with broadly white-tipped outher feathers

Similar Species

Chestnut-crested Yuhina is similar to nominate, but ranges don't overlap.

Distribution

Found from the Eastern Himalayas (Sikkim) east over Bhutan to north-eastern India, Myanmar, south-eastern Bangladesh and southern China (Yunnan).
Fairly common in parts of its range.¹

Taxonomy

This is a polytypic species^[1] consisting of 4 subspecies.
Indochinese Yuhina was formerly considerd conspecific. Also considered conspecific with Chestnut-crested Yuhina.
All three (or two) species are also placed in the genus Staphida.¹

Subspecies

• S. c. rufigenis

• Northeastern India (Darjiling and Sikkim)

• S. c. plumbeiceps

• NorthernAssam to northern Myanmar and southern China, western Yunnan

• S. c. striata

• Mountains of eastern Myanmar to northwestern Thailand

• S. c. castaniceps

• Southern Assam to southwestern Myanmar (Chin Hills and Arakan Yoma Mountains)

Habitat

Found in the middle storey, scrub and undergrowth of broadleaf evergreen forest or secondary forest. In India from 300 to 1590m, in China from 350 to 2200m.¹

Behaviour

Gregarious and usually seen in big groups of 20 - 30 birds, often associating with other species. These groups move very quickly and noisily through the trees.

Diet

Feeds mainly on insects. Takes also seeds and nectar.

Breeding

Breeding season mainly from April to June. Partly a social breeder, nest a deep cup made mainly of moss. Lays 2 - 5 eggs.

Movements

Resident species with some irruptive movement in China and suggested altitudinal movement in the Himalayas.¹

References

1. del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. and Christie, D.A. eds. 2007. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 12. Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 84-96553-42-6
2. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Striated Yuhina. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 19 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Striated_Yuhina

External Links

Search for photos of Striated Yuhina in the gallery

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.