Grey Hypocolius
Hypocolius ampelinus
The Grey Hypocolius (Hypocolius ampelinus) is a rare hypocoliu found in 13 countries, weighing about 53 g. The grey hypocolius or simply hypocolius is a small passerine bird species.
About the Grey Hypocolius
The grey hypocolius or simply hypocolius is a small passerine bird species. It is the sole member of the genus Hypocolius and it is placed in a family of its own, the Hypocoliidae. This slender and long tailed bird is found in the dry semi-desert region of northern Africa, Arabia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and western India. They fly in flocks and forage mainly on fruit but also some insects, migrating south in winter. During migration they are often found feeding on the fruit of Salvadora persica.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The grey hypocolius is a slim bird with a long tail, slight crest and thick, short hook-tipped bill. Its shape and soft, satiny plumage resembles that of the waxwing. Birds are mainly a uniform grey or brownish-grey colour, with males having a black triangular mask around the eyes. They have white-tipped black primary wing feathers and a black terminal band on the tail. Adults are about 19–21 cm (7.5–8.3 in) in length. The head feathers are raised when the bird is excited. They fly in a straight non-undulating style and when hopping in shrubbery, can appear like a babbler. Voice: The most common call is a series of squealing descending notes or kleeeu whistles. Other calls include scolding chirps.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Turkmenistan.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, November, December, with peak activity in November. It is a winter visitor species across most of its range.
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Grey Hypocolius?
- The grey hypocolius is a slim bird with a long tail, slight crest and thick, short hook-tipped bill. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Grey Hypocolius?
- The Grey Hypocolius is a small sized bird weighing about 53 g.
- Where can you see a Grey Hypocolius?
- The Grey Hypocolius occurs in 13 countries, including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, India, Iran and Oman.
- Is the Grey Hypocolius endangered?
- The Grey Hypocolius is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Grey Hypocolius for real
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