Heterophasia melanoleuca
The Dark-backed Sibia (*Heterophasia melanoleuca*) is a strikingly patterned, medium-sized Old World babbler, captivating birders with its bold black, white, and grey plumage. Measuring approximately 20-25 cm (8-10 inches) in length and weighing between 30-50 grams, its most distinctive feature is a glossy, deep black head, throat, and upperparts, which contrast sharply with a broad white stripe visible on its primary feathers, especially prominent in flight or when perched. The underparts ar...
Primarily inhabits evergreen and broadleaf montane forests, forest edges, and secondary growth with dense undergrowth. Found at elevations typically ranging from 800 to 2,500 meters (2,600 to 8,200 feet).
Omnivorous, primarily consuming insects such as caterpillars, beetles, and ants, which it gleans from foliage and bark. It also extensively feeds on nectar from various flowering plants and small fruits and berries.
A diurnal and highly active species, the Dark-backed Sibia is often observed in pairs or small family groups, though it frequently joins larger mixed-species foraging flocks outside the breeding season, associating with other babblers, tits, and warblers. It employs varied foraging strategies, ac...
The Dark-backed Sibia is a resident species distributed across a wide montane belt spanning the eastern Himalayas and Southeast Asia. Its range extends from extreme eastern Nepal, Bhutan, and northeastern India (including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Nagaland) eastward through northern Myanmar, ...
Least Concern
- The Dark-backed Sibia's scientific name, *melanoleuca*, is derived from Greek words meaning "black" (*melas*) and "white" (*leukos*), perfectly describing its striking dichromatic plumage. - This species is a frequent participant in the vibrant mixed-species foraging flocks of its montane habit...