Nepal Wren Babbler       Pnoepyga immaculate

Etymology:

• Pnoepyga : Greek Word pnoe– puff;  puge– rump  { Puff Rumped}

• Immaculate: Latin word in– without; macula –spot {Spotless}

Distribution in India: Winter visitor in Himalayas west to Himachal Pradesh in India.

Description: size of 8·5–10 cm. The pale morph is brownish-olive with vague dark scaling above, whitish below, becoming darker, more olive-grey, on flanks and lower underparts, with prominent dark scaling from chin downwards. The iris is brown with narrow blue-grey eyering. The bill is horn-brown, paler below. The legs are horn-brown or brownish-flesh. The dark morph is darker olive-brown above, and deep fulvous below. Both the sexes are similar.

Habitat : It is found in Herb layer and undergrowth with rocks and boulders close to flowing streams and rivers in open parts and edges of broadleaf evergreen forest, secondary growth, overgrown clearings, scrub and gulleys outside forest. It breeds at 1730 m–3100 m. In winter it occurs at 250 m, in semi-deciduous and deciduous forests and tall grass.

Food habits: It eats small invertebrates. It hops around low vegetation and boulders.

Breeding habits:  They breed in May–Jul. The nest is built near wet areas around waterfalls.