Orange-winged noisy grebe, medium-sized (26 cm) noisy grebe. The body is roughly grayish brown , with dark and white margins on the upper back and thorax that form scaly markings. The face is darker. Yellowish brown on the buttocks and lower abdomen. The base of the primary flight feathers is yellowish and the feathers are blue-gray, forming markings on the wings. The tail feathers are grey and white, and the outer feathers are yellowish. The subspecies preswalskii has a paler crown and a heavier brown underparts, with wing spots and caudal margins slightly reddish rather than yellowish. Iris-light milky white; mouth-brown; feet-brown call: a long two-syllable and trisyllabic call and the squeaking of birds.
Basic information
Chinese Name: Orange-winged Noisy Grebe · Species Classification: Birds→ Finches→ Grebe family→ · Rading Name: garrulax elliotii · English Name: elliot's lauging thrush · Domestic distribution: Orange-winged noisy stork is a Chinese specialty bird, distributed in Qinghai, Gansu, Shaanxi, Hubei, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan and Tibet in China. · Migration: Bird Type: Weight ♂51-75g, ♀49-72g; Body length ♂209-290mm, ♀215-276mm, beak peak ♂15-20mm, ♀15-21mm, wings ♂88-110mm, ♀85-106mm, tail ♂106-158mm, ♀98-152mm, tarsal ♂30-41mm, ♀33-40mm (nominate subspecies).
Morphological description
Males and females have similar plumage. The forehead, the top of the head to the back of the neck are dark grape grey or sandy brown, the forehead is lighter and nearly sandy yellow, and the rest of the upper body includes two winged covert olive brown or gray olive brown, some of which are similarly yellowish brown. The flight feathers are dark brown, the outer flight feathers are pale blue-gray or silvery gray, the base is orange-yellow, gradually expanding from the outside to the inside, forming wing spots, the inner flight feathers are similar to the back, and the inner feathers are dark brown. The central tail feathers are greyish brown or golden-green, the outer tail feathers are dark gray on the inside, the outer tail feathers are green and the edges are orange-yellow, all tail feathers have white end spots, and the white end spots are larger the outward tail feathers. The eyes are black first, the cheeks and ear feathers are olive brown or grayish brown, and some ear feathers are dark maroon or black brown, and the ends have a slight white narrow margin. The chin, throat, and thorax are light tan or light greyish brown, the upper abdomen and two flanks are olive brown, and the lower abdomen and tail coverts are chestnut red or brick red. The iris is yellow, the mouth is black, and the feet are tan. Distinguishing features: Medium-sized birds, body length 22-25 cm. The top of the head is dark grape-grey or sand-brown. The upper body is gray olive brown, the outer flight feathers are blue-gray and the base is orange-yellow, the central tail feathers are grayish brown, and the outer tail feathers are green and the margins are orange-yellow with white end spots. The throat and thorax are tan, and the lower abdomen and subtail coverts are brick red. The features are obvious and easy to identify in the wild. We have not seen any similar species in our country.
subspecies
The chamdo subspecies of the orange-winged khun (scientific name: garrulax elliotii bonvalotii). It is found in Tibet, where records are unknown and where Chinese mainland. The type origin of this species is in Gongjuelanda, Qamdo region of Tibet. The nominate subspecies of the orange-winged crane (scientific name: garrulax elliotii elliotii). It is found in Qinghai, Gansu, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Hubei and Yunnan, where records are unknown and Chinese mainland. The type origin of this species is in Baoxing, Sichuan.
Habits of life
Habitat: It mainly inhabits mountain and plateau forests and shrublands at an altitude of 1500-3400 m, and even distributes to montane shrubs at an altitude of 4200 m in Tibet, and also inhabits willow shrublands, honeysuckle shrubs, rhododendron shrubs and square cypress shrubs in open areas such as forest edge sparse forest shrubland, bamboo shrubland, farmland and creekside.
Diet: Feeds mainly on insects and plant fruits and seeds, and is omnivorous. The insects eaten are mainly Coleoptera insects such as Golden Turtle Beetle, followed by Lepidoptera larvae such as caterpillars, and other insects such as leaf bees, ants, locusts, bugs, hymenoptera, orthoptera, diptera, hemiptera and other invertebrates such as snails. Most of the plants are rose fruit, followed by horse mulberry, pod fan, beard and weed seeds, etc., and also eat a small number of corn sprouts and hemp seeds and other crops.
Habits: Except for pairs during breeding, flocks are mostly found in other seasons. It is often seen jumping, shuttling or flying in and out of the lower branches of the shrub, and sometimes it is also seen moving and foraging among the deciduous layers on the ground under the forest, and constantly making 'guer, guer' calls, especially in the early morning and evening, the calls are loud and beautiful. After being frightened, they either fall quickly into the depths of the bush, or fly from one bush to another, usually not far away.
Species reproduction
Breeding: Breeding period from April to July. Nests usually nest in understory bushes, and nests are mostly built on low branches of shrubs or young trees, 0.5-0.7 m above the ground. The nest is bowl-shaped, and the outer layer is mainly composed of fine branches, bark, grass stems, dead leaves, etc., and the inner pad is made of fine grass stems and grass roots, and sometimes with thin rattan. The size of the nest is 13.8-20 cm in outer diameter, 8-9 cm in inner diameter and 5-7 cm in depth. Each clutch lays 2-3 eggs, which are sky blue or bright blue-green, and the blunt ends are covered with sparse dark-brown spots. The eggs are oval in shape, measuring 27.5–30 mm in size× 20–21.4 mm in size, averaging 28.5 mm × 20.8 mm and weighing 5.5–6 g.
Distribution range
Endemic to central China to southeastern Tibet and northeastern India. Distribution: Nominate subspecies occur in the southward journey from DabaShan, Qinling and Minshan mountains to western Sichuan, southeastern Tibet and northwestern Yunnan. The subspecies preswalskii is distributed from the Qilian Mountains in northern Gansu to the east of Qinghai. It is common in understory vegetation of all forest types at altitudes of 1200 to 4800 meters. Habits: Feeding in small groups in open secondary forests and understory vegetation and bamboo bushes in shrublands.
Population conservation
The orange-winged noisy stork is a chinese endemic bird with a relatively abundant population and is a more common species of noisy stork in southwest China.