Yuhina flavicollis
The Whiskered Yuhina (Yuhina flavicollis) is a small, energetic passerine renowned for its distinctive, shaggy crest and social nature, belonging to the Old World babbler family (Timaliidae). Measuring approximately 13-15 cm in length and weighing 12-18 grams, it features olive-brown upperparts, a striking yellowish-buff throat contrasting with a clear white eyering, and a pale, often streaked underbelly. Its most prominent field mark is the forward-curving, yellowish-brown crest, often givin...
Primarily inhabiting broadleaf and mixed evergreen forests, the Whiskered Yuhina is typically found at elevations ranging from 900 to 3000 meters, occasionally lower or higher depending on the season and local conditions.
This omnivorous species feeds predominantly on insects and their larvae gleaned from foliage and bark, supplementing its diet with nectar from flowers and various small berries and fruits.
Whiskered Yuhinas are highly social, diurnal birds typically observed in active, bustling flocks of 10-30 individuals, often joining larger mixed-species foraging parties. They are ceaseless gleaners, methodically searching foliage, bark, and mosses for insects and larvae, moving quickly and acro...
The Whiskered Yuhina boasts an extensive distribution across the Himalayan foothills and Southeast Asia, stretching from northern Pakistan and Kashmir eastward through Nepal, Bhutan, and northeastern India, into Bangladesh, Myanmar, southern China (including Yunnan, Sichuan, and Tibet), Laos, Vie...
Least Concern
- The Whiskered Yuhina's most striking feature, its shaggy crest, can be raised or lowered to express alertness or excitement, giving it a very expressive face. - They are highly social birds, almost always found in flocks, sometimes numbering over 50 individuals, even outside the breeding season...