Alternative names: Golden-breasted Tit-babbler; Himalayan Golden-breasted Tit-babbler; Golden Fulvetta, Golden Tit-babbler
- Lioparus chrysotis
Alcippe chrysotis
Identification
A small (10-11,5 cm), colourful Fulvetta:
- Grey above
- Black head with silvery ear-coverts
- Black wings with yellow to orange-yellow slashes
- Orange-yellow underparts
Juveniles have a yellowish throat.
Similar Species
This species could be confused wiith Silver-eared Mesia which is much larger and has much more clear-cut head pattern.
Distribution
Patchily distributed in the mountains of SE Asia. Found in the Himalayas from C Nepal east over Bhutan and India and in adjacent S Tibet. Also in the NE Indian Hill States (Assam, Nagaland, Manipur). Also found in N Myanmar, N and C Vietnam and S and SC China (Yunnan, Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi, Guangxi, Hunan and Guangdong).
Common in parts of its range.1
Taxonomy
Formerly placed in the genus Alcippe.
Subspecies
Six subspecies are recognized1,2:
- L. c. chrysotis in the Himalayas (Nepal, Bhutan, India and adjacent Tibet
- L. c. albilineata in north-eastern India
- L. c. forresti in north-eastern Myanmar and southern China
- L. c. amoena in southern China and northern Vietnam
- L. c. robsoni in central Vietnam
- L. c. swinhoii in south-central China
Habitat
Found in dense undergrowth in temperate forest between 2000 and 3000m in the Himalayas and 1100 and 2500m in China.1
Behaviour
Usually seen in pairs or groups of 20 to 30 birds, sometimes more. Often hangs upside-down like a Tit.
Diet
Feeds on insects, small berries and seeds. Forages low in thickets.
Breeding
Breeding season from May to June in India, April to June in Myanmar and China. The nest is a deep cup, constructed by both sexes and made of dry bamboo leaves, dry grasses, stalks and moss. It's placed in bamboo clump or a bush, 0,4 to 1m above the ground. Lays 3 - 5 eggs.
Movements
Resident species with some local altitudinal movements.1
Vocalisation
Recording by china guy, Sichuan, June 2011
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, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Golden-breasted Fulvetta. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 16 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Golden-breasted_Fulvetta
