Three-toed parrotbill

The three-toed parrotbill is a species of parrotbill in the family Paradoxornithidae. It is endemic to central China. Its natural habitat is temperate forests.

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Distribution

Region

Central China

Typical Environment

Occurs in temperate broadleaf and mixed forests with dense bamboo and shrubby understory, especially along mountain slopes and valley edges. It favors thickets where it can move through stems and leaves to glean prey. Birds keep low to mid-levels in the vegetation and rarely venture into open canopy. Seasonal movements are minimal, with local shifts tracking food availability within montane forests.

Altitude Range

1000–2600 m

Climate Zone

Temperate

Characteristics

Size17–20 cm

Wing Span20–25 cm

Male Weight0.023 kg

Female Weight0.021 kg

Life Expectancy6 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

The three-toed parrotbill is a bamboo-thicket specialist of central China and a member of the parrotbill family Paradoxornithidae. Its name refers to its unusual foot morphology, reported as having a reduced toe arrangement compared with typical songbirds. It moves nimbly through dense understory, often going unseen while giving thin, tinkling calls. Like other parrotbills, it uses a stout bill to pry insects from leaves and to take small seeds and buds.

Gallery

Behaviour

Temperament

secretive and active

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats

Social Behavior

Often travels in pairs or small parties that keep contact with soft calls while moving through bamboo. Nests are placed low in dense vegetation, where both parents participate in care. Outside the breeding season it may join small mixed flocks of understory birds.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Song consists of thin, tinkling whistles interspersed with soft chips, delivered from concealed perches. Calls are high-pitched and metallic, used frequently for contact within groups.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

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