Robin accentor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Robin accentor |
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|---|---|
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| At Khardung La, Ladakh, India | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Prunella
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| Species: |
rubeculoides
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The robin accentor (Prunella rubeculoides) is a small bird that lives in the mountains. It belongs to the Prunellidae family. You can find these birds in high places like Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and China. They usually live at heights between 3,000 and 5,500 meters (about 9,800 to 18,000 feet) above sea level.
This bird is mostly brown with a grey head. It has a bright orange-red patch on its chest. The robin accentor is quite common in many areas where it lives. Experts say it is a "least concern" animal, meaning it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
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About the Robin Accentor
The robin accentor was first described by a scientist named Frederic Moore in 1854. He found a specimen in Nepal. He gave it the scientific name Accentor rubeculoides. The name rubeculoides means "resembling a robin." This bird is now part of the Prunella group, which was named by Louis Pierre Vieillot in 1816.
There are two main types, or subspecies, of the robin accentor:
- P. r. muraria – found in the western Himalayas.
- P. r. rubeculoides – found from the central and eastern Himalayas to central China.
What Does It Look Like?
The robin accentor is a fairly large accentor bird. It grows to be about 17 centimeters (7 inches) long. Both male and female birds look very similar. They have a thin, pointed beak, which is perfect for catching insects.
Their head and neck are grey. The rest of their upper body is brown with black streaks. Their throat is a solid reddish-orange color. Their belly is a pale, creamy yellow. The tips of their wing feathers are white. When they call, it sounds like a high trill, or a repeated "tszi tszi." Their song is musical and sounds like "si-tsi-si-tsi-tsu-tsitsi."
Where Does It Live?
The robin accentor lives in the mountains of Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Nepal, and China. It is also found in Afghanistan. These birds typically live at very high altitudes, from 3,000 to 5,500 meters (9,800 to 18,000 feet). In China, you can find them in the Tibet Autonomous Region and other provinces like Qinghai, Gansu, and Sichuan.
These birds do not migrate to other places. They usually stay above the tree-line, where trees stop growing, but not as high as the snowline. You can often see them on the ground in grassy areas or among bushes. They like gullies, which are small valleys, especially if there are streams nearby. In winter, they might move to slightly lower areas. Sometimes, they are seen in rocky places near where people live.
How Does It Behave?
Robin accentors mostly look for food on the ground. They eat insects, other small creatures without backbones, and seeds. Sometimes, small groups of these birds will feed together. It's common for a female robin accentor to mate with several males.
The nest is built off the ground. They make their nests in clumps of grass, bushes, or scrub. The nest is shaped like a cup. The female usually lays about four eggs, which are blue or green and have no spots. The breeding season is from May to August. A pair of robin accentors might raise two groups of young birds in one season.
Conservation Status
The robin accentor lives across a large area and is common in many parts of its home range. Scientists have not found any major threats to these birds. Their population seems to be stable. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has decided that its conservation status is "least concern." This means they are not worried about this species becoming endangered anytime soon.
