The Chinese rubythroat is a small passerine bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is closely related to the Siberian rubythroat which however lacks the distinctive white tail-tips and white tail bases. It was also previously considered conspecific with the Himalayan rubythroat, together called the white-tailed rubythroat. It is found along the Himalayan ranges from Pakistan to Myanmar.
Region
Himalayas and eastern Tibetan Plateau
Typical Environment
Breeds in alpine and subalpine shrublands of the eastern Tibetan Plateau and adjacent north-central China, especially in Qinghai, Gansu, and western Sichuan. In the non-breeding season it moves south and downslope into the eastern Himalayas and northern Indochina, including northern Myanmar and adjacent areas. Prefers dense rhododendron, juniper, willow and birch thickets near meadows and stream edges. In winter it uses scrubby forest edges, bamboo undergrowth, and overgrown farmlands. It remains close to ground cover and forages in leaf litter and low shrubs.
Altitude Range
200–4600 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Chinese rubythroat was recently split from the white-tailed rubythroat complex and is the eastern counterpart of the Himalayan rubythroat. Males show a brilliant ruby-red throat bordered by bold black-and-white facial stripes and distinctive white bases and tips on the tail. It keeps to dense cover and often betrays itself with a sharp ticking call. In winter it may descend to lower elevations and enter scrubby edges near cultivation.
Luscinia pectoralis tschebaiewi, a synonym of Calliope tschebaiewi in a 1877 illustration.
Temperament
skulking and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low to the ground
Social Behavior
Typically solitary or in pairs during the breeding season, with males strongly territorial and singing from low perches within dense shrubs. Nests are built low in bushes or on the ground, well concealed in thick vegetation. Outside the breeding season it remains secretive, loosely associating in suitable shrubby patches but not forming large flocks.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
The song is a rich, varied warble with clear whistles and rapid trills delivered from dense cover or a low perch. Calls include sharp ticking notes and a thin, buzzy seep. Males sing most intensely at dawn and early morning during the breeding season.
Plumage
Male with olive-brown upperparts, a vivid ruby-red throat bordered by black-and-white moustachial stripes, and contrasting white bases and tips on the tail; underparts grayish to whitish. Female is warm brown above, paler below with faint buffy throat and lacks the bright red and bold facial pattern. Both sexes show white in the tail when flicked.
Diet
Primarily takes insects and other small invertebrates, including beetles, caterpillars, spiders, and ants. It gleans from leaf litter and low foliage, making short dashes to seize prey. In late summer and winter it supplements its diet with small berries and other soft fruits. Foraging is mostly on or near the ground, with occasional short sallies.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in dense shrub layers, thickets along streams, and edges of alpine meadows. In winter it forages in undergrowth of forests, bamboo patches, hedgerows, and overgrown gardens where cover is abundant.
