Bar-throated Siva   Minla strigula

Etymology:

  • Minla: Nepali name
  • Strigula : Latin word stria –furrow; gula- throat 

Vernacular Names : Lepcha: Megblim

Also known as Bar-throated Minla , it belongs to the family of Babblers

Distribution in India: Resident in Himalayas and North Eastern Parts of India

Description: Size of 13-14 Cm. Adult has Orange crown and nape. It has grey ear coverts and barring on a white throat. It has Olive-brown upper parts and yellowish underparts .Has a prominent black moustachial stripe.

Habitat : It is found at heights of 5000-12000 feet above sea level. In winter it migrates downwards to about 4000 Feet. It is found in evergreen broadleaf forest, mixed broadleaf and evergreen forest, pine forest, pine or oak and rhododendron forest, rhododendron or bamboo stands

Food Habits:  They are Omnivores. In summer they eat mainly Beatles, worms and insects. In winters they eat the berries, nectar and seeds.

Breeding Habits: They breed in Summer Season.They build a Cup shaped nest made of grass, bamboo leaves, lichen and birch bark. The usual clutch is about two to four eggs. The Chicks are Precocial (with open eyes and down feathers). They are fed insects for faster growth and water content. The chicks grow faster and leave the nest within 3 weeks.