Black-throated accentor

The black-throated accentor (Prunella atrogularis) is a small passerine bird found in the Ural, Tian Shan and Altai Mountains. It is migratory, wintering in Afghanistan and neighboring countries. It is a rare vagrant in western Europe.

Black-throated accentor
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Prunellidae
Genus:	Prunella
Species:	P. atrogularis
Binomial name
Prunella atrogularis (Brandt, 1843)
Range of P. atrogularis (Compiled by: BirdLife International and Handbook of the Birds of the World (2016) 2016.)   Breeding   Resident   Non-breeding

The black-throated accentor builds a neat nest low in spruce thickets, laying 3-5 unspotted blue eggs. It winters in scrub or cultivation.

This is a dunnock-sized bird, 13.5–14 centimetres (5.3–5.5 in) in length. It has a streaked dark brown back, somewhat resembling a house sparrow, but adults have a black crown, face patch and throat, and a white supercilium. The breast is orange, and the belly white with orange stripes. Like other accentors, this species has an insectivore's fine pointed bill.

Sexes are similar, but winter birds and juveniles are less contrasted. In particular, the dark throat may be almost absent in young birds.

The call is a fine ti-ti-ti, and the song is similar to the dunnock's pleasant twittering.