Blue-winged Minla Actinodura cyanouroptera ranges northern India to southern China and most of mainland Southeast Asia. In China, wingatei resident Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, and southern Hunan plus Hainan. HABITAT & BEHAVIOR Forest and forest edge and city parks, to 3000 m (9,840 ft.). Actively forages for insects and berries from high in canopy to low in bushes. Usually in small flocks; often in bird waves. ID Bright blue upper tail and outer wing. Forecrown blue with black streaks. Hindcrown grey-brown and unstreaked. Has black lateral crown stripes. White eyebrow and eye-ring hard to distinguish against pale grey face. Mantle and rump rufous-brown. Secondaries and tertials black with white edges. Square-tipped tail white with black edges from below. Grey-white below with slightly buffish tinge. Female has slightly less blue on crown. Juvenile like female. BARE PARTS Bill blackish above, yellowish to pink below. Feet pink. VOICE Distinctive, clear whistle, consisting of two to three notes, the last syllable long and descending. Also squeaky calls and churrs. — Craig Brelsford
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Daniel Bengtsson served as chief ornithological consultant for Craig Brelsford’s Photographic Field Guide to the Birds of China, from which this species description is drawn.
