Short-tailed Parrotbill
Suthora davidiana
A tiny pingpong ball of a bird, this parrotbill flits amongst bamboo stands, usually in hilly mixed forest. Tends to be quiet and retiring but can small roving flocks often be detected by chattering twitter. Small and brownish overall, with a black throat and an orange-toned head. Short tail (unusual amongst parrotbills) gives it a bulbous-headed appearance.
Identification
The short-tailed parrotbill (Suthora davidiana) is a species of bird in the family Paradoxornithidae. It is found in China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. This genus differs from Suthora in having the tail less graduated and much shorter, not more than three-fourths the length of the wing; the bill is larger and much deeper in proportion; the wing is still more rounded, the 4th to the 7th being subequal. It contains but one species, and 3 subspecies, S. d. thompsoni ("Thompson's suthora"), and is found within India, S.d. tonkinensis found in Northeastern Laos, and S.d.davidiana found in eastern China around northern Guangdong and Zhejiang. Top and sides of the head bright cinnamon-rufous; hind neck, back and rump pale slate-grey, more or less washed with olive; wings and tail grey-brown, the quills edged with bright rufescent brown; chin and throat black; breast grey tinged with buff, more especially on the centre; flanks, abdomen and lower tail-coverts clear brownish ochraceous. Bill fleshy horny; irides hazel; legs plumbeous grey. Total length about 95 to 100 mm.; wing 50 to 52 mm.; tail 36 to 38 mm. This subspecies is found in the Southern Shan States.
Taxonomy
Genus: Suthora; Family: Paradoxornithidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Suthora davidiana
- Authority
- Slater, HH, 1897
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Paradoxornithidae
- Genus
- Suthora
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Vinous-throated Parrotbill
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Small, attractively patterned thrush of tropical and subtropical evergreen forest in foothills and subtropics. Usually elusive and heard far more often than seen. Feeds mainly on the ground, but also in fruiting bushes and trees. Sings from low to middle level perches. Plumage distinctive: black head, contrasting orange eyering, bill, and legs, and yellow underparts with dusky spotting. Song distinctive: slow, fluty, whistled phrases, given in a varied series. Occurs on both slopes of the Andes from western Venezuela to northern Argentina. Similar to Yellow-throated Nightingale-Thrush but no range overlap.
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