The black-throated parrotbill is a parrotbill species often placed with the Old World babblers or in a distinct family Sylviidae, but it actually seems to belong to the distinct family Paradoxornithidae.
Region
Himalayas to southern China and Indochina
Typical Environment
Occurs from the Himalayan foothills (Nepal, Bhutan, northeast India) east through northern Myanmar and southern China (including Yunnan, Sichuan, and Guangxi) to northern Vietnam and Laos. It favors dense understory in broadleaf evergreen and mixed montane forests, especially bamboo thickets and shrubby secondary growth. Birds are most frequently encountered along forest edges, clearings, and along trails where bamboo is abundant. Local movements may track flowering or seeding of bamboo and seasonal understory productivity.
Altitude Range
900–3200 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The black-throated parrotbill is a small, bamboo-loving songbird now placed in the family Paradoxornithidae. It often travels in chattering flocks and frequently joins mixed-species foraging parties in montane forests. Its bold black throat patch and parrot-like bill make it easy to pick out in dense undergrowth.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Typically found in small, noisy groups that move together through dense understory. During the breeding season, pairs nest low in bamboo or shrubs, constructing a neat cup. Outside breeding, they often join mixed-species flocks for safety and foraging efficiency.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of high, tinkling notes interspersed with thin, squeaky calls. Contact calls are rapid chips and twitters, with excited chattering when flocks coalesce or move between thickets.
Plumage
Warm brown upperparts with rufous tones, paler buff underparts, and a contrasting black throat forming a small bib. The face shows whitish cheeks bordered by darker markings and a rufous crown. The tail is long and graduated, and feathers appear soft and fluffy.
Diet
Takes small insects and other invertebrates gleaned from leaves, stems, and bamboo culms. Also consumes seeds, especially from grasses and bamboo, and small berries when available. Foraging is agile and acrobatic, often hanging to probe into dense foliage and seed heads.
Preferred Environment
Feeds primarily within dense bamboo and shrubby understory layers of montane forests. Often works along forest edges, clearings, and along paths where seed heads and insect concentrations are accessible.
