Alternative names: Chestnut-backed Sibia; Chestnut-rumped Sibia; Blyth's Sibia
- Leioptila annectens
Heterophasia annectens
Identification
With 18.5 to 20cm a rather small, short-tailed Sibia1:
- Black cap and upper mantle (with white streaks)
- Black wings with white trim
- White-tipped black tail
- White throat and breast
- Back and uppertail coverts mostly rufous, but black in davisoni
Juveniles have shorter bill and slightly narrower rectrices.
Distribution
Found in the eastern Himalayas from extreme E Nepal over Sikkim, Bhutan, NE India to S China (Yunnan) and south to Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.
Uncommon in most of its range, but locally common in China and present in many national parks in the region.1
Taxonomy
Some authorities have placed this species in Minla or in genus Heterophasia.1
The scientific name is also spelled Heterophasia annectans.
Subspecies
Clements2 accepts five subspecies:
- L. a. annectens from East Nepal over Sikkim, Bhutan, the North East Indian Hill States to North and West Myanmar and South China
- L. a. saturata in East Myanmar and North West Thailand
- L. a. mixta in East Myanmar, North Thailand, Laos, North Vietnam and South China (Tonkin)
- L. a. roundi in central Vietnam and adjacent South East Laos
- L. a. eximia in South Vietnam
Some accept also the subspecies davisoni (South Myanmar and West Thailand) which is regarded by others as a black-backed morph of saturata.2
Habitat
Broadleaf evergreen forest, partly also semi-deciduous forest. Mainly between 1000m and 2650m, locally down to 215m in India. In Bhutan only up to 1400m, higher up replaced by Rufous Sibia.1
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on insects, takes also seeds. Forages in middle to upper forest storeys, searching for food among moss, lichen and bark crevises.
Usually seen singly, in pairs or small groups of up to 6 birds. Often in bird waves with other Babblers (eg. Blue-winged Minla, Himalayan Cutia and Vietnamese Cutia).
Breeding
Breeding season from April to June. The nest is a compact cup, made of moss, roots, leaves and fine grasses, placed on a branch of a small tree, 2 - 6 m above the ground. Lays 2 - 4 eggs.
Movements
Resident species, some altitudinal movement may occur.1
References
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
- 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/
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Rufous-backed Sibia. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 10 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Rufous-backed_Sibia
