Nepal Fulvetta Alcippe nipalensis ranges through Nepal, Bhutan, northeastern India, and parts of Bangladesh, China, and Burma. Nominate in southeastern Tibet and western Yunnan (Nabang, Yingjiang, Ruili). Common in understory and undergrowth of broadleaved evergreen forests, from lowlands to 2400 m. Usually in busy flocks, sometimes with other species, feeding on insects and berries. Large-headed, brown-and-grey alcippe. Has grey, brown-tinged head; broad, white eye-ring; and black lateral crown-stripe. Mantle, wings, and tail brown. Has whitish throat and whitish center to otherwise buffy underparts. Upperparts more reddish than those of Yunnan fulvetta, and flanks less buffy. Yunnan and brown-cheeked fulvetta lack brown tinge to crown; also, brown-cheeked about 25 percent larger and has brownish-grey head sides. Juvenile has warmer upperparts, flanks, and vent. Iris olive-grey. Bill yellowish-grey, dark above; feet brown. Tuneless, raspy twitters, sometimes emitted in busy streams, sometimes with pauses. — Craig Brelsford
THE ALCIPPE FULVETTAS OF CHINA
shanghaibirding.com covers every species in the family Alcippeidae in China. Click any link below:
Brown-cheeked Fulvetta Alcippe poioicephala
Nepal Fulvetta A. nipalensis
David’s Fulvetta A. davidi
Huet’s Fulvetta A. hueti
Yunnan Fulvetta A. fratercula
See also this Taiwan endemic:
Grey-cheeked Fulvetta Alcippe morrisonia
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.
