White-tailed rubythroat

Luscinia pectoralis

Photo by Aurélien Audevard (Mango Verde)

Common name:
white-tailed rubythroat (en); rouxinol-de-garganta-vermelha (pt); rossignol à gorge rubis (fr); ruiseñor pechinegro (es); bergrubinkehlchen (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Muscicapidae

Range:
This species is found from central China, and along the Himalayas through Nepal, extreme north-western India and northern Pakistan and into north-eastern Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and south-eastern Kazakhstan.

Size:
These birds are 14-16 cm long and weigh 19-26 g.

Habitat:
The white-tailed rubythroat is found in scrublands, grasslands, open woodlands and plantations. During the breeding season they are present at higher altitudes, moving to lower altitudes during winter.

Diet:
They are insectivorous, mostly taking caterpillars.

Breeding:
White-tailed rubythroats breed in June-September, nesting in a loose cup placed in a dense scrub or grass tussock. There the female lays 4-6 eggs which she mostly incubates alone for 14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge about 16 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as generally common, although uncommon in the Tien Shan and Pamir Alai mountains and very common in northern Pakistan. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.