Grey-chinned minivet facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Grey-chinned minivet
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Campephagidae
Genus:	Pericrocotus
Species:	P. solaris
Binomial name
Pericrocotus solaris Blyth, 1846
Script error: The function "autoWithCaption" does not exist.

Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".

The grey-chinned minivet (Pericrocotus solaris) is a colorful little bird. It belongs to the Campephagidae family. You can find these birds in many places. They live from the Himalayas all the way to China, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. They usually make their homes in forests. These forests are often high up, between 1,000 and 2,000 meters (about 3,300 to 6,600 feet) above sea level. Experts say this bird is not in danger. It is considered a "least-concern species" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

About the Grey-chinned Minivet's Family

Have you ever wondered how scientists name and group animals? That's called taxonomy! The grey-chinned minivet was first described in 1846. A scientist named Edward Blyth discovered it in Darjeeling.

There are eight different types, or subspecies, of the grey-chinned minivet. Each subspecies lives in a slightly different area. For example, one type lives in the Himalayas. Another type lives in southern China. Some scientists think two of these types might even be their own separate species.

What Does the Grey-chinned Minivet Look Like?

This minivet is about 17 to 19 centimeters (7 to 7.5 inches) long. It weighs between 11 and 17 grams (about 0.4 to 0.6 ounces). That's about as much as a few quarters!

Boy and girl minivets look different. This is called sexual dimorphism.

• The adult male has a dark grey head. His chin is a pale grey. His throat is orange-yellow. His wings are blackish. His belly and lower back are bright orange. The tips of some wing feathers are also orange.
• The female is different. The parts that are orange on the male are bright yellow on her.

Both males and females have black eyes, beaks, and legs. Young minivets look like the female. But they have yellow-olive stripes on their backs.

Where Do Grey-chinned Minivets Live?

These birds live across a wide area. You can find them from the eastern foothills of the Himalayas. Their range goes through northeastern India and southern China. They also live in mainland Southeast Asia. You can even find them on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.

They love to live in mountain forests. These forests are usually between 1,000 and 2,000 meters high. In Taiwan, they have been seen as low as 150 meters. They live high up in the tops of trees. They prefer broadleaf forests. But they can also be found in coniferous forests. They live in secondary forests, forest edges, and even gardens with trees. Scientists believe all 12 types of minivets first developed in Asia. Then they spread out to other islands.

How Do Grey-chinned Minivets Behave?

Female in Thailand

When they are not raising babies, these minivets often fly in groups. Sometimes they are in small parties of less than 15 birds. Other times, they form large flocks with dozens of birds. They might even join other bird species to look for food.

They search for small bugs and insects in the treetops. Sometimes they fly down to tree ferns. They might even catch insects in the air. While they eat, they make a soft, twittering sound. Their calls to each other include a high-pitched sri-sisi and a chirit-chirit.

Reproduction and Life Cycle

Grey-chinned minivets usually breed from February to April. Sometimes, they might start as early as January. Scientists have seen a male bird walk towards a female. He held a flower in his beak! He swung his head and touched the female's beak. Then he dropped the flower, and they mated.

Both the male and female build the nest. It is shaped like a deep cup. They build it on a tree branch or in a fork of a tree. The nest is made of soft bryophytes (like moss). It is covered with a felt-like material on the outside. They add Lichens to the nest to help it blend in. The female shapes the nest by pushing against the rim with her chest. We don't have much information about their eggs.

Both parents work together to raise their young. Sometimes, older young birds from a previous brood help them. This is called helping at the nest. The birds change their feathers, or molt, from June to October.

Conservation Status

The grey-chinned minivet is doing well. It lives across a very large area. Its population is also stable. Because of this, the IUCN has said it is a least-concern species. This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.