Scaly-breasted cupwing

The scaly-breasted cupwing or scaly-breasted wren-babbler (Pnoepyga albiventer) is a species of bird in the Pnoepyga wren-babblers family, Pnoepygidae. It is found in southern and eastern Asia from the Himalayas to Indochina.

Scaly-breasted cupwing
From Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary in Uttarakhand, India.
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Pnoepygidae
Genus:	Pnoepyga
Species:	P. albiventer
Binomial name
Pnoepyga albiventer (Hodgson, 1837)

Taxonomy and systematics

The Taiwan cupwing was once treated as a subspecies of the scaly-breasted cupwing. The Chinese cupwing has been merged into this species.

Description

The scaly-breasted cupwing is a very small babbler with almost no tail, around 9 cm long and weighing between 19 and 23 g. The plumage is olive on the back and lightly scalloped on the chest.

Distribution and habitat

The natural habitat of the scaly-breasted cupwing is subtropical moist montane forest. Within that habitat it is usually found near water. The species undertakes some altitudinal migration, moving closer to sea level during the winter over some of its range.

Gallery

• 
  in Kullu - Manali District of Himachal Pradesh, India
• 
  in Kullu - Manali District of Himachal Pradesh, India
• 
  in Kullu - Manali District of Himachal Pradesh, India

References

• Collar, N. J. & Robson, C. 2007. Family Timaliidae (Babblers) pp. 70 – 291 in; del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie, D.A. eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 12. Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.