Gould's Shortwing

Heteroxenicus stellatus

Gould's shortwing (Heteroxenicus stellatus) is a small species of passerine bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in the Himalayas (mainly Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Bhutan), Yunnan and northern parts of Myanmar and Vietnam. It breeds in the eastern Himalayas in rocky areas above the tree-line and winters at lower altitude in wooded valleys. Gould's shortwing is the only species in the genus Heteroxenicus. It was formerly placed in the genus Brachypteryx. Gould's shortwing is 12–13 cm in length with a weight of 19–23 g. It is chestnut coloured above and dark grey below with small white spots or stars on its belly. It has long brown legs and a black bill. The sexes are similar. Nothing is known about the nest or the eggs.
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