Suthora brunnea
The Brown-winged Parrotbill (*Suthora brunnea*) is a captivating small passerine bird, renowned for its distinctive, parrot-like bill and subtly beautiful plumage. Averaging 11.5-13 cm (4.5-5.1 inches) in length and weighing around 8-12 grams, its most prominent feature, giving it its name, is the rich brown coloration on the outer webs of its primary and secondary wing feathers, which contrasts with the rest of its olive-brown back. Key identification marks include a rufous-chestnut crown, o...
Found primarily in subtropical and tropical moist montane forests, high-altitude shrubland, and especially dense bamboo thickets, typically at elevations ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 meters. It also utilizes secondary growth and forest edges where bamboo is prevalent.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a variety of small insects such as beetles, caterpillars, and aphids, along with larvae and spiders. They occasionally supplement their diet with small seeds or berries, gleaning items directly from vegetation.
Brown-winged Parrotbills are diurnal and often observed in small, active flocks of 5-15 individuals, frequently joining mixed-species foraging parties outside the breeding season. They are highly agile foragers, clambering expertly through dense bamboo and foliage, meticulously gleaning insects, ...
The Brown-winged Parrotbill is a resident species primarily found across a significant portion of Southeast Asia and southern China. Its distribution extends from the eastern Himalayan foothills of northeastern India (specifically Arunachal Pradesh) and Bhutan, eastwards through northern Myanmar....
Least Concern
- The "parrotbill" name refers to its short, stout, and strongly decurved bill, which resembles that of a parrot, specially adapted for manipulating tough bamboo shoots and extracting insects. - It belongs to the family Paradoxornithidae, meaning "paradoxical birds," a nod to their unusual appear...