White-tailed nuthatch
The white-tailed nuthatch is a species of bird in the family Sittidae. It ranges across the northern and northeastern parts of the Indian subcontinent, existing mainly in the low-to-middle Himalayas, as well as associated mountain ranges. It is found in Bhutan, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Tibet and Thailand.
Description and ecology
It is 12 cm long, slightly smaller than the other related Himalayan nuthatches, and may be identified by the buff underside, smaller beak than in the Kashmir nuthatch, and paler blue-grey mantle than others except for Kashmir nuthatch. The white patch on the centre of the upper tail coverts is difficult to see in the field. It has a small bill and pale orangey underparts with unmarked bright rufous undertail-coverts. The black eyestripe is broader than that of Kashmir nuthatch, and flared wider behind the eye.It is resident in the sub-Himalayan range from Himachal Pradesh to Arunachal Pradesh and into the South Assam Hills. It breeds from March to May in broad-leaved and mixed forest.