The white-browed bush robin is a species of passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae that is found from the Himalayas to south-central China and north Vietnam. Its natural habitat is Rhododendron and conifer forests. The Taiwan bush robin was formerly regarded as a subspecies.
Region
Himalayas, south-central China, and northern Indochina
Typical Environment
Breeds and occurs from the Himalayas (Nepal, Bhutan, northeast India) east through northern Myanmar to south-central China (Sichuan, Yunnan) and north Vietnam. It inhabits montane rhododendron thickets, coniferous and mixed forests, and dense understory along forest edges and gullies. In winter it often descends to lower montane broadleaf forests and scrub. The species favors shaded, damp slopes with abundant shrub cover and fallen logs for foraging.
Altitude Range
1800–3800 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The white-browed bush robin is a small, shy forest bird of the Himalayas and southern China, notable for the male’s crisp white eyebrow. It prefers dense rhododendron and conifer undergrowth and often makes short, low flights between cover. The Taiwan bush robin was formerly treated as a subspecies but is now recognized as a separate species. It makes altitudinal movements, breeding higher in summer and descending in winter.
Temperament
solitary and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between cover
Social Behavior
Usually solitary or in pairs during the breeding season, keeping to dense undergrowth. The nest is a cup placed low in shrubs or among roots and mossy banks. Both parents typically participate in feeding the young, and the species is territorial around nesting sites.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Song is a soft, thin series of high, clear whistles delivered from a low perch within cover. Calls include sharp ticks and thin seep notes, especially when alarmed. Vocalizations can be subdued and easily overlooked in dense habitat.
Plumage
Male is dark slaty to brownish above with a bold white supercilium over a dusky face, greyish underparts, and often subtle rufous tones in the tail. Female is warm brown above with a buffy eyebrow and paler underparts with fine mottling. Both sexes show a slender, fine bill and relatively plain wings. Overall appearance is subdued, relying on the contrasting white brow for identification.
Diet
Primarily feeds on small insects and other arthropods such as beetles, caterpillars, spiders, and ants. It gleans prey from low foliage, mossy logs, and the forest floor, and occasionally makes short sallies to catch flying insects. In cooler months it may supplement its diet with small berries and other soft fruits when insects are scarce.
Preferred Environment
Forages in dense rhododendron and conifer undergrowth, along shaded forest edges, gullies, and streamside thickets. Often stays within a meter or two of the ground, working through leaf litter and tangled roots.
