White-bellied Erpornis

Overview

The white-bellied erpornis is a species of bird and the sole member of the genus Erpornis. It is currently classified within the Vireonidae as one of their few Old World representatives, rather than the Timaliidae where it was formerly placed.

Identification

• Crested head, back, wings and tail are olivaceous or golden brown
• Underparts are distinctly white
• Possesses well-developed musculature for gaping or opening the bill forcefully

Habitat

Found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat consists of subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

Diet

Seeks insects and uses its well-developed musculature to pry bark from trees.

Did you know?

Despite its wide range and the presence of 10,000 to 100,000 breeding pairs in China and Taiwan, it was formerly placed in Yuhina and misleadingly called a 'white-bellied yuhina' because its prominent crest obscured its true relationship to vireos.