Wildlifeof Bhutan
Himalayan Rubythroat
Thrushes, Chats & Flycatchers
Photo: (c) Mathieu Soetens, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY (May be cropped or resized)
Calliope pectoralis
Basic stats
Diet
Small insects, mainly beetles and ants
Habitat
Nest in the middle of a shrub, sometimes on the ground in a dense tussock; in the Tien Shan, juniper thickets at 2,500–2,700m
Range
Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent; C. p. confusa in the central and eastern Himalayas of Sikkim and Bhutan
Clutch size
4–6 greenish-blue eggs with rusty dots in a ring
Incubation period
About 14 days, mostly by the female; fledge after about 16 days
The Himalayan rubythroat is closely related to the Siberian rubythroat, which lacks its distinctive white tail-tips and white tail bases. The male is slaty brown above with a white forehead and supercilium, a blackish tail with white base and tips, black sides to the throat and breast, a scarlet centre to the chin and throat, and a white belly and vent. In the central and eastern Himalayas of Sikkim and Bhutan, C. p. confusa has the male blacker above with a more prominent white forehead (Wikipedia, general species account).
It is usually seen singly or in pairs in the breeding season and feeds mainly on small insects, including beetles and ants. The male sings through the day from an exposed perch, with squeaky notes; the alarm call is a sharp 'skyap'. The nest is built mainly by the female in a shrub, and four to six greenish-blue eggs hatch after around 14 days, the young fledging at about 16 days.
Quick answers
- What does the Himalayan Rubythroat eat?
- Small insects, mainly beetles and ants
- What habitat does the Himalayan Rubythroat live in?
- Nest in the middle of a shrub, sometimes on the ground in a dense tussock; in the Tien Shan, juniper thickets at 2,500–2,700m
- Where is the Himalayan Rubythroat found?
- Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent; C. p. confusa in the central and eastern Himalayas of Sikkim and Bhutan
- How many eggs does the Himalayan Rubythroat lay?
- 4–6 greenish-blue eggs with rusty dots in a ring
- How long are the eggs of the Himalayan Rubythroat incubated?
- About 14 days, mostly by the female; fledge after about 16 days