Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...

Himalayan Rubythroat

Calliope pectoralis

The Himalayan rubythroat, Calliope pectoralis, is a passerine bird of striking beauty, belonging to the family Muscicapidae. It is closely related to the Siberian rubythroat but can be distinguished by its white tail-tips and bases. The male is particularly resplendent with a slaty brown back, a white forehead, and a supercilium. Its wings are brownish, and the tail is blackish with white accents. The throat and breast are adorned with a black border and a vivid scarlet center. The female, in contrast, is more subdued in coloration, with a brownish grey back and smoky underparts.

Identification Tips

To identify the Himalayan rubythroat, look for the male's distinctive white forehead and supercilium, as well as the black sides of the throat and breast with a scarlet center. The female is less conspicuous but can be recognized by her diffuse supercilium and whitish throat center. The subspecies vary slightly in color intensity and facial patterns.

Habitat

This species favors open woodlands and scrub habitats. It is adept at navigating the undergrowth where it can often be found foraging.

Distribution

The Himalayan rubythroat's range extends along the Himalayas from Afghanistan to Myanmar. It is a migratory bird, ascending to higher altitudes in the summer and descending to lower elevations in the south during winter.

Behaviour

The Himalayan rubythroat is a rather shy bird, often seen alone or in pairs during the breeding season. It feeds primarily on small insects, including beetles and ants. The male's song is a complex series of squeaky notes, while the female emits a distinctive upward inflected whistle.

Song & Calls

The male's song is a varied series of squeaky notes, sung from an exposed perch. The female's call is an upward inflected whistle, and the species' alarm call is a sharp "skyap."

Breeding

Breeding occurs in summer, with nests typically built in shrubs or sometimes on the ground. The female constructs the nest, which can be a loose ball with a side entrance or a cup shape with an open top. Clutches usually consist of 4 to 6 greenish blue eggs with rusty spots.

Similar Species

The Siberian rubythroat is similar but lacks the white tail-tips and bases. The Chinese rubythroat was once considered conspecific but has since been recognized as a separate species.

Diet and Feeding

The Himalayan rubythroat's diet consists mainly of small insects, which it forages from the ground or low vegetation.

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List categorizes the Himalayan rubythroat as Least Concern, indicating a stable population without significant threats to its survival.

In summary, the Himalayan rubythroat is a jewel of the avian world, with its striking plumage and melodious song. Its presence adds a splash of color and music to the open woodlands and scrubs of the Himalayan region.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Himalayan Rubythroats on Birda

Sightings
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Prashant Kkumar
Prashant Kkumar
26 Jan 2024 - 2:00am
India

More Chats, Old World Flycatchers

A photo of a White-gorgeted Flycatcher (Anthipes monileger)

White-gorgeted Flycatcher

Anthipes monileger
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
David C
Very knowledgeable group
Nice friendly birding community. Very knowledgeable group with a willingness to help.
Foxgirl100
Great app for beginner twitchers
I’ve had a passion of photographing birds for a long time now but have only just gotten into proper birdwatching, and this app is brilliant for those just getting started. There is a great sense of community among users and the app is very easy to use and professional. Awesome app altogether
778
Great bird recording
For a while I’ve been trying to find an app to easily record bird lists and day out and struggled to find one that I like. Birda is great for this, straightforward and a great community!
Carl B
Helped me to identify more birds
Love this app and has helped me to identify more birds. The challenges and badges are great for keeping the motivation going to get out and keep birding.
Nick S
Work together with community
Been loving using this app to log my bird sightings and work together with community members to identify different birds. I've already learned a lot since I started about a month ago!
Louise L
Easy to use and accurate
Love this app. It is easy to use and accurate, Their backup communication is really good. I noted a missing species. All through the process, I was kept informed about the progress in correcting the information. I now have the corrected, updated version. 😁 Thanks!
Madstherangers
A mordern game changer
Birda is an awesome app, its updated the world of birding to the modern day with a fun and easy to use app. It’s engaging and allows positive interaction with fellow bird lovers!
BCHphotography_
Such a great app!
I didn’t think I could enjoy birding more but this app makes it so much better. Some great features and a really great way to share your sightings with your friends or fellow birders nearby or around the world! ❤️
Stewart W
Fantastic to be involved
Fantastic to be involved, great for mental health and gets you responding with the Challenges that are to takd part in.
SW H
Wonderful App
Birda is my go to app for keeping records of my bird sightings and sessions. It has fantastic information which is great at aiding identification. With all the updates that are coming in the new year, this app is something special.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.