Rufous-throated Fulvetta - BirdForum Opus

Subspecies kelleyi
Photo by James Eaton
Bach Ma, Vietnam, March 2007

Alternative names: Red-throated Fulvetta; Red-throated Tit-Babbler; Himalayan Red-throated Tit-Babbler

Schoeniparus rufogularis

Identification

Subspecies major
Photo by robby thai
Phu Suan Sai NP, Thailand, February 2018

12 -13cm (4¾-5 in). A small neat babbler.

• Rufous-brown crown with long black lateral stripe
• Broad white supercilium and eye-ring
• Black cheek
• White underparts with diagnostic broad chestnut band on lower throat
• Whitish below with greyish-brown flanks and buffy vent

Sexes similar, juveniles undescribed.

Distribution

Found from northeast India and south Bhutan (only 2 records) east to northern Burma, Thailand, Laos, northern Vietnam and adjacent south China.
Locally common in parts of its range.

Taxonomy

Formerly placed in genus Alcippe or in Pseudominla.

=Subspecies

Six subspecies recognized^[1]:

• S. r. rufogularis:

• Himalayas (Bhutan to northern Assam north of the Brahmaputra)

• S. r. collaris:

• Hill forests of eastern Assam to Bangladesh

• S. r. major:

• North East Myanmar to northern and eastern Thailand and north-central Laos

• S. r. stevensi:

• South China (south-western Yunnan) and northern Indochina

• S. r. kelleyi:

• Central Vietnam (Quangtri Province)

• S. r. khmerensis:
• South East Thailand and adjacent south-western Cambodia

Habitat

Primary, logged and secondary broadleaf evergreen forest and semi-evergreen forest, second growth, scrub and bamboo brakes.
Up to 900m in India, 300m in China, 1100m in southeast Asia.

Behaviour

Diet

Feeds probably on small invertebrates.
Forages in dense cover close to the ground. Shy and secretive.
Usually seen singly, in pairs or small groups.

Breeding

Breeding seasoon from March tu June in India and Burma, June to July in Laos and Vietnam. The nest is a loose dome or semi-dome or cup made with leaves and dead bamboo. It's placed on the ground in the bottom of a bush or up to 1m in a fork of a small sapling. Lays 3 - 4 eggs.

Movements

Resident species.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
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

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Rufous-throated Fulvetta. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 3 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Rufous-throated_Fulvetta

External Links

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