Nepal Cupwing

Overview

The Nepal cupwing, also known as the immaculate cupwing, is a small passerine bird in the family Pnoepygidae native to the Himalayan foothills. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Small bird measuring 8.5–10 cm in length with brownish-olive plumage.
• Dark scaling on the upperparts and paler scaling on the underparts, including a scaly breast with brown central feathers.
• Very short tail and pale edging on the flight feathers.
• Distinctive song consisting of a steady series of thin, short, rapid, modulated whistles that descend in pitch, higher pitched than other species in the genus.

Habitat

Native to Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Tibet, and Nepal, where it inhabits dense montane forest in the Himalayas. It is a regular resident in most of its range but uncommon around Zhangmu in Tibet, generally keeping to the forest floor in dark forests at median and low mountain elevations.

Did you know?

The species was identified as distinct from its closest relatives based on differences in voice, as external morphology is very similar among cupwings. Genetic phylogeny suggests it forms a clade with the pygmy cupwing.