Pericrocotus solaris
The Grey-chinned Minivet, *Pericrocotus solaris*, is a strikingly colorful passerine bird of the cuckooshrike family, Campephagidae, distinguished by its unique grey chin. Males boast glossy black heads, backs, and upperwing coverts, contrasted by vibrant orange-red on the rump, underparts, distinct wing patches, and outer tail feathers. Females present a more subdued yet beautiful plumage, with grey heads and backs, yellowish-white chins, and bright yellow markings replacing the male's orang...
Found primarily in subtropical and tropical moist broadleaf forests, ranging from lowland to montane environments, typically at elevations between 300 and 2,500 meters.
Mainly insectivorous, feeding on beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, cicadas, and spiders, occasionally supplementing their diet with small fruits through gleaning and hawking.
Grey-chinned Minivets are diurnal birds, highly active in the canopy and sub-canopy layers of forests. They are agile arboreal insectivores, primarily gleaning insects and spiders from foliage and branches, often hanging upside down to access prey, and occasionally hawking insects in flight. Outs...
The Grey-chinned Minivet has a wide distribution across Southeast Asia and parts of the Indian subcontinent. Its breeding range extends from the Himalayan foothills of Nepal, Bhutan, and Northeast India, across Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. It is also found throughout southern C...
Least Concern
- The genus name 'Pericrocotus' means 'around saffron', a poetic nod to the vibrant orange and red hues found in many minivet species, including the Grey-chinned. - They are sometimes informally referred to as 'fire-birds' in some parts of their range due to the striking, flame-like orange and re...