- Prunella immaculata
Identification
14.5 cm. A dark, unstreaked accentor.
- Dark grey head and upper mantle
- Black lores
- Some white scalloping on grey feathers on forehead
- Pale yellow to whitish eye
- Blackish bill
- Olive-grey to rich brown back and rump
- Slaty brown tail
- Chestnut wings, grey greater wing-coverts
- Grey underparts with dark cinnamon flanks, vent and undertail-coverts
Sexes similar, juveniles similar to adults but without white on forehead, a spotted and paler throat and paler belly and vent.
Distribution
Eastern Himalayas from eastern Nepal to Bhutan and northeast India and southern China (southeast Tibet east to southern Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan).
An uncommon to rare species.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
Forms a superspecies with Japanese Accentor and Dunnock.
Habitat
Temperate forests and rhododendron, often near water. In winter also in secondary forest and edges of clearings.
Occurs from 1700 to 3700 m in northeast India and Bhutan, up to 1500 m in Tibet.
Behaviour
A secretive species.
Diet
Feeds on invertebrates and seeds, takes also some berries.
Usually forages under thick vegetation on the ground, rarely in the open.
Breeding
Breeding season May to July. The nest is placed low in a bush, well hidden or sometimes on the ground. Lays 3 to 4 eggs. No other information.
Movements
A resident species with some altitudinal movements. Descends to lower elevations after breeding season.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2014. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.9., with updates to August 2014. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved December 2014)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Maroon-backed Accentor. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 29 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Maroon-backed_Accentor
