Gymnoris xanthocollis
The Yellow-throated Sparrow, or Chestnut-shouldered Petronia, is a distinctive member of the Old World sparrow family, Passeridae, known for its striking yellow throat patch. Measuring around 13-15 cm (5.1-5.9 inches) in length with a wingspan of 21-25 cm (8.3-9.8 inches) and weighing 15-20 grams, males exhibit a grey head, a warm rufous mantle streaked with black, and clean white underparts, prominently displaying two white wing bars and a diagnostic chestnut patch on the shoulder. Females a...
Found primarily in dry deciduous forests, open scrub, acacia woodlands, and cultivated areas, often near human habitations, ranging from sea level up to 1500 meters.
Their diet is omnivorous, primarily consisting of insects (especially caterpillars and beetles) during the breeding season to feed young, supplemented by seeds of grasses and grains, berries, and nectar from various flowering trees, particularly outside of breeding.
Yellow-throated Sparrows are diurnal, often foraging actively in small flocks outside the breeding season, and roost communally in trees. They employ varied foraging strategies, gleaning insects from the ground and foliage, and frequently visiting flowering trees to feed on nectar and associated ...
The Yellow-throated Sparrow boasts a wide distribution across the Indian subcontinent and parts of Western and Southeast Asia. Its breeding range extends throughout most of India, from the Himalayan foothills south to Sri Lanka, and east into Bangladesh and Myanmar. To the west, it breeds across ...
Least Concern
- This sparrow is famously known to nest inside active beehives, with the birds apparently unharmed by the stings of the resident bees. - It is one of the few Old World sparrows that regularly includes nectar as a significant part of its diet, especially from trees like Bombax and Butea. - The sp...