Alternative names: Black-faced Treepie; Black-browed Treepie; White-naped Treepie
- Dendrocitta frontalis
Identification
38cm (15 in). A small treepie.
- Back forehead, face and bib
- Warm chestnut back and underparts
- Light silver or blue-grey chest, neck and shoulders
- White wing-coverts
- Black primaries
- Long black tail
- Red or reddish-brown eye
- Blackish-grey bill and legs
Sexes similar. Juveniles have buffy fringes of body feathers and tertials.
Distribution
From Bhutan to northeast India (Arunachal Pradesh) to northern Burma and south China (extrem southeast Tibet and west Yunnan). An isolated population in north Vietnam.
Locally fairly common but poorly known. Old reports exist from Sikkim, but no recent sightings. No evidence that the species ever occured in Nepal.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Birds from Vietnam sometimes described as race kurodae but differences seem to be minimal.
Habitat
Evergreen humid foothill forests up to 2100m. Prefers forest with extensive stands of bamboo.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on invertebrates and their larvae but takes also lizards, small rodents, eggs, nestlings, seeds and berries.
Seen hawking aerially like a Drongo. Usually seen in pairs or family groups.
Breeding
Breeding season from April to July. It builds a small nest in clumps of bamboo; 3-4 eggs are laid.
Movements
A resident species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Collared Treepie. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 26 October 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Collared_Treepie
