Rufous-backed Sibia

Photo by Ayuwat J
Doi Inthanon, Chiangmai, Thailand

Alternative names: Chestnut-backed Sibia; Chestnut-rumped Sibia; Blyth's Sibia

Heterophasia annectans

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

Clements² accepts five subspecies:

• H. a. annectans from E Nepal over Sikkim, Bhutan, the NE Indian Hill States to N and W Myanmar and S China
• H. a. saturata in E Myanmar and NW Thailand
• H. a. mixta in E Myanmar, N Thailand, Laos, N Vietnam and S China (Tonkin)
• H. a. roundi in C Vietnam and adjacent SE Laos
• H. a. eximia in S Vietnam

Others accept also the subspecies davisoni (S Myanmar and W Thailand) which is regarded by others as a black-backed morph of saturata.²
Some authorities have placed this species in Minla or in its own genus Leioptila.¹
The scientific name is also spelled Heterophasia annectens.

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

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 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.
Resident species, some altitudinal movement may occur.¹

References

1. 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
2. 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

External Links

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