Brown parrotbill

The brown parrotbill is a parrotbill found in the central and eastern Himalayas. It is also known as the brown suthora. This is a 17–19 cm (6.7–7.5 in) long grey-brown bird with a long tail and a characteristic small, yellowish, parrot-like bill. A dark stripe runs above the eyes and along the sides of the crown. The bird moves in small groups and will sometimes join mixed species foraging flocks. It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.

Distribution

Region

Central and Eastern Himalayas

Typical Environment

This species frequents dense bamboo, shrubby thickets, and the edges of montane broadleaf and rhododendron forests. It favors tangled understory where it can forage close to the ground and within bamboo culms. Birds may move locally along slopes to track food availability and cover. It occurs from Bhutan and Nepal east through northeastern India and into Myanmar and south-central China.

Altitude Range

1500–3500 m

Climate Zone

Highland

Characteristics

Size17–19 cm

Wing Span20–24 cm

Male Weight0.024 kg

Female Weight0.022 kg

Life Expectancy6 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

The brown parrotbill is a bamboo specialist, often slipping through dense undergrowth with quick, mouse-like movements. It frequently joins mixed-species foraging flocks, using quiet contact calls to stay in touch with its group. Both sexes look similar, which can make individuals tricky to tell apart in the field.

Gallery

Behaviour

Temperament

social and active

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats, low bounding flights through cover

Social Behavior

Typically moves in small family parties and readily joins mixed-species flocks in the understory. Nests are placed low in dense bamboo or shrubs, where pairs remain secretive. Pairs maintain contact with soft calls while foraging.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

A series of soft, tinkling notes and thin twitters interspersed with scolding chips. The song is understated and often delivered from within cover, making the bird easier to hear than see.

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Identification

Leg Colorblackish-grey

Eye Colordark brown

Plumage

Overall grey-brown to warm brown with a long tail and soft, plain plumage; underparts slightly paler with buff tones.

Feeding Habits

Diet

Feeds on small insects and other invertebrates gleaned from leaves, stems, and bamboo, including beetles and caterpillars. Also takes seeds, small berries, and tender plant material, especially from bamboo. Foraging is methodical, often hanging or clambering through culms and twigs.

Preferred Environment

Primarily forages within dense bamboo thickets and tangled shrub layers of montane forest edges. It keeps close to the ground to mid-understory, rarely venturing into open spaces.

Population

Total Known Populationunknown

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