Alternative names: Brown-capped Fulvetta; Brown-eared Fulvetta; Gould's Fulvetta; Gould's Nun-Babbler; Rufous Fulvetta; Rufous-headed Fulvetta
- Alcippe brunnea
Identification
13cm - 13.5cm.
- Brown above
- Rufous cap with thin black line
- Grey buff below
- Light brown iris
- Dark brown bill
- Pink legs
Sexes similar.
Similar species
Distinguished from Rusty-capped Fulvetta by very different facial appearance with supercilium and neck side grey and ear-coverts buffy grey.
Distribution
Found in south, central and east China and Taiwan.
Following Clements the range would expand to India, Burma, Laos and Vietnam (see Taxonomy).
Common in parts of its range.
Taxonomy
Five subspecies accepted:
- A. b. brunnea in Taiwan
- A. b. arguta on Hainan (China)
- A. b. superciliaris in southeast China (Guangxi to Hunan, Anhi, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong)
- A. b. weigoldi in the Red Basin of Sichuan (China)
- A. b. olivacea in southcentral China (Sichuan to Shaanxi, Hubei and Guizhou)
Has been considered to be conspecific with Rusty-capped Fulvetta, but the two occur sympatrically in China. However, the boundaries between this two species are not clear and some subspecies are either placed in one or in the other species. Clements doesn't accept weigoldi and places mandellii, genestieri and intermedia (subspecies of Rusty-capped Fulvetta) in this species. However this view is not generally accepted in the region.
Like some other Fulvettas sometimes placed in genus Schoeniparus. The scientific name would be spelled Schoeniparus brunneus then.
Habitat
Broadleaf evergreen forest and grass-jungle. Found at 600m to 1700m in China, mainly at 1525 - 1830m in Taiwan.
Behaviour
Feeds on insects, snails and seeds.
Usually seen near the ground, skulking, in small groups.
Breeding season April to June. The nest is a loose dome or semi-dome with an entrance at the upper part. It's made of leaf fibres, dead leaves and grass, placed in a bush. Lays 4 - 5 eggs (Taiwan 2 -3).
Resident species.
References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- 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
- Rasmussen, PC and JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334672
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Dusky Fulvetta. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 24 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Dusky_Fulvetta
