White-browed Bush Robin   Tarsiger indicus 

Etymology:

• Tarsiger: Greek word – tarsos flat of the foot; Latin word – ger bearing { Flat footed}

• Indicus: From India 

Distribution in India: Winter visitor in North India.

Description: It has a size of 13–15 cm; weight of 16 g.

The male of nominate race has bluish-slate face. Forehead to tail is also bluish slate. It has a long white supercilium, sometimes trace of narrow white malar. It is dull orange from chin to vent, with whitish mid-belly; bill is blackish, legs are dark reddish-brown.

The female is dull olive-brown above, with buffish-white supercilium and eyering, orange-buff below, whitish mid-belly.

The juvenile is dark brown with buff streaking above, buff with brown scaling below, vague buff supercilium

A year-old male lacks blue feathering, but capable of breeding.

Habitat: It breeds in dense lower bush storey of heavy mixed broadleaf and conifer forest, mainly rhododendron and Abies, mixed subalpine birch, cane jungles at and beyond tree-line and rocky forested ravines. It is found at 3000–4200 m. In winters in undergrowth of saplings and bracken in heavy damp forest at 2000–3000 m.

Food habits: It eats insects. It feeds mainly on ground.

Breeding habits: They breed in Apr–Jul in India. The nest is a cup placed in hollow in bank. They lay a clutch of 3–4 eggs.