Alternative name: Yellow-naped Yuhina
- Yuhina flavicollis
Identification
With 12 - 12.5 cm a medium-sized Yuhina1:
- Grey head and crest
- Golden-yellow hindcollar
- Black moustache
- Yellowish-white underside.
The subspecies differ in colour, eg. albicollis has an whitish hindcollar. The similar Burmese Yuhina has a grey hindcollar.
Distribution
Found in the Himalayas from N India (Himachal Pradesh) to the east (Nepal, Bhutan) to NE India, adjacent S China (Xizang, Yunnan) and south to Myanmar, NE Thailand, Laos and N Vietnam. Common to abundant in part of its range. In Bhutan one of the most common birds in broadleaf forest in temperate zone.1
Taxonomy
Five subspecies are recognized2:
- Y. f. albicollis in the W Himalayas
- Y. f. flavicollis from C Nepal over Bhutan and Assam into SE Tibet
- Y. f. rouxi from NE India to N Myanmar, S China and N Indochina
- Y. f. constantiae in N Laos
- Y. f. rogersi in N Thailand
Burmese Yuhina has been included in this species in the past. 1
Habitat
Found in broadleaf evergreen forest, oak forest, open deciduous forest or secondary growth. Usually in the bush layer and lower storeys. In India between 1435 - 1980m (down to 500m in winter), in China between 1500 - 3050m.1
Behaviour
Feeds on insects, larvae, snails, also flower nectar, berries and seeds.
Outside breeding season found in small flocks of 5 to 10 birds, sometimes in mixed flocks with other Babblers. Behaviour reminds of that of a Tit.
Breeding season from April to June. The nest is a cup made of moss, suspended between twigs or placed among moss on a branch, usually not higher than 2m above ground. Lays 2 - 4 eggs.
Resident species with some altitudinal movement.1
References
- 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
- Clements James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
