Fulvous Parrotbill Suthora fluvifrons
Etymology:
- Suthora : Nepalese name Suthora-Parrotbill.
- Fluvifrons: Latin word fulvus- tawny; frons- forehead, front
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- Chayulensi: From Chayul River, south-eastern Tibet.
Distribution :
- Nominate – West Arunachal Pradesh
- f. chayulensis – North Central Arunachal Pradesh
Description: It has a size of 12–12·5 cm; weight of 7 g.
The nominate has whitish-buff forehead, rich buff forecrown fading to hindcrown, dark greyish-olive lateral crownstripe starting more narrowly above eye, very broad on rear crown side and fading onto nape side, and rich buff eyering and narrow supercilium starting from eye.
The nape and upperparts are warm buffish-grey with olive tinge, rump and uppertail-coverts richer buffish. The upperwing-coverts are similar to mantle but outwardly edged rufous on greater and primary coverts and darker on inner webs. The flight-feathers and tertials are grey-black, with white inner edges which decrease in extent from innermost primaries outwards.
The primary P10 is with narrow whitish outer fringe at base, P9 with narrow whitish edge extending almost to tip, P8-P6 with more prominent edge rich buff basally and white terminally, P5 similar but with narrow fringe, P4 similar but with very narrow fringe almost lacking rich buff part, P3 and P2 have whitish edge narrowly near tip only and a blackish mid-section, P1 and secondaries and tertials have outer edges rufous and a little more pale buff near tips.
The secondaries have narrow whitish to pale buff outer fringe near tip; tail is strongly graduated, dark brownish with bright rufous outer fringes, and broadly darker and more blackish at tip. The lores and ear-coverts are like upperparts. The malar and area behind ear-coverts, throat and breast are rich buff, with whitish patch behind lower ear-coverts extending to lower malar area.
The belly is whitish in center and greyer at side, thighs and undertail-coverts dull buffish.
In fresh plumage, a little more rufous-washed above and slightly deeper rufous on wing and tail, slightly richer buff below, with more rich buff mixed in on belly. The iris is red-brown to brown; bill is pink or pinkish-horn with dark horn to blackish-grey culmen. The legs are plumbeous-brown to dark horn-brown or fleshy-brown or olive-coloured. Both the sexes are alike.
The Juvenile is somewhat darker than adult, particularly on underside.
Race chayulensis has paler and more grey-white belly to undertail-coverts than nominate (other supposed differences are probably the result of worn plumage)
Habitat: It is found in dense bamboo in or near forest. It is found at 2440–4575 m in its range. It occasionally strays into low vegetation close to stands of bamboo.
Food habits: It eats on bamboo and birch buds, tiny seeds, and insects. It seeks food in crevices of unopened bamboo sheaths.
Breeding habits: They breed in Jun–Jul. They lay a clutch of 4-5 blue eggs.