Garrulax formosus formosus is a nominate subspecies of the red-winged grebe. Medium-sized birds with a body length of 23-28 cm. The female and males have similar plumage. The forehead and the crown are grayish brown or gray olive brown, the center of each feather is black, forming a thick black central longitudinal stripe and gray feather margins; the eyes, cheeks, face, eyebrow lines, head sides are black, the ear feathers are silvery gray or off-white, with black axial lines; the back neck and upper back are tan or ochre maroon, and the waist and tail cover feathers are tan or olive brown. The central tail feathers are deep or purple-red, the outer margin is bright red, the outer tail feathers are reddish brown or dark brown, and the outer tail feathers are bright red or dark red. The primary coverts are bright red, the rest of the coverts are the same as the back; the flight feathers are dark brown, and the outer feathers have a broad bright red feather margin, and the bright red feathers gradually expand to the entire outer feather, only the tip is blue-gray, and these bright red outer feathers and the primary covert feathers are connected into a large red patch, which is extremely bright and eye-catching. The chin, throat, upper thorax and side of the neck are black, and the lower thorax, upper abdomen, and flanks are tan, gradually turning brown or olive brown backwards. The undertail coverts are dark olive or tan, the axillary feathers are tan, and the underwing coverts are brown. The iris is brownish grey, the mouth is black or black-brown, the feet and toes are dark purple-brown or black-brown, slightly yellowish, and the claws are yellow.
China is found in Pingshan, Emei, Wenchuan, Ganluo, Mabian, Ebian, Tianquan, Baoxing, Pengxian, Kangding, Dujiangyan in Sichuan, and Yanjin, Suijiang, Yongshan, Daguan and Guangxi in Yunnan.
They often move in pairs or in small groups, mostly shuttling and jumping between understory shrubs, and also frequently moving and foraging on the understory ground. It feeds mainly on insects and plant foods. The animal foods eaten mainly include ladybirds, kowtows, coleoptera insects, centipedes and snails, and plant foods mainly include the fruits and seeds of plants such as roses, ivy, peppercorns, honeysuckle and legumes.
The breeding period is from May to July, and the nest is mainly composed of moss and bamboo leaves, and the inner cushion is brown silk and other substances. The size of the nest is 7.2 cm in inner diameter and 5.2 cm in depth. The eggs are green with fine black lines