The maroon-backed accentor is a species of bird in the family Prunellidae. It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.
Region
Eastern Himalayas and western China
Typical Environment
Found from Nepal and Bhutan through northeastern India and northern Myanmar to southwest and central China (e.g., Tibet, Sichuan, Yunnan). It inhabits subalpine and montane shrublands, especially rhododendron, birch, and juniper thickets, as well as forest edges and stony alpine slopes. During the breeding season it prefers dense low shrubs near open ground and rocky outcrops. In winter it may descend to slightly lower elevations, frequenting scrubby clearings and village edges.
Altitude Range
1800–4800 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The maroon-backed accentor is a high-elevation songbird of the Himalayas and adjacent ranges, easily recognized by its rich maroon upperparts. It often forages low in dense rhododendron and juniper scrub, making it more often heard than seen. Many populations shift altitudinally after breeding, moving downslope in winter as snow accumulates.
John Gould's illustration.
Temperament
skulking and wary
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low and direct over shrubs
Social Behavior
Breeds in pairs that hold small territories within dense shrub cover. Outside the breeding season it often joins small, loose flocks, sometimes with other small passerines. Nests are cup-shaped and placed low in shrubs, with clutches typically of several pale eggs.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
A soft, tinkling warble of thin, high notes interspersed with short trills. Calls include sharp tseep or tzip notes given from cover or low perches.
Plumage
Rich maroon to chestnut back and scapulars contrasting with a gray head and nape; wings dark brown with rufous edging; underparts mostly plain gray-buff with minimal streaking.
Diet
Takes a wide range of small invertebrates such as insects, larvae, and spiders during the breeding season. In cooler months it supplements with seeds and small berries. Forages mostly by gleaning and probing on the ground and in low shrubs, occasionally flicking leaf litter.
Preferred Environment
Feeds along shrub-choked slopes, forest edges, alpine meadows with scattered bushes, and rocky gullies. Often works the ecotone between dense cover and open ground to alternate between safety and foraging patches.
