Yunnan Nuthatch
A species of Nuthatches Scientific name : Sitta yunnanensis Genus : Nuthatches
Yunnan Nuthatch, A species of Nuthatches
Botanical name: Sitta yunnanensis
Genus: Nuthatches
Content
Description General Info
Photo By Arnab Pal 
Description
The upper parts of the Yunnan nuthatch are blue-grey, including the calotte, despite being separated from the upper mantle by a paler area. It has a thin white eyebrow, which extends to the front of the bird and is above the black eye line. Each eye has a fine white circle around it, and it has a white cheek and throat. The lower parts are pale and unified, and the grey-black beak is sharp and pointed with a yellowish base. Its irises are dark brown, and the legs and feet are grey-brown. The Yunnan nuthatch is a small nuthatch, measuring around 12 cm (4.7 in) in length, and its wing chord is 69.5 to 74 millimetres (2.74 to 2.91 in) on male specimens and 67 to 74 millimetres (2.6 to 2.9 in) on female specimens. On males, the tale measures 35 to 41 millimetres (1.4 to 1.6 in) and on females, it measures between 36 and 38 millimetres (1.4 and 1.5 in). Its beak measures between 16.8 and 19.5 millimetres (0.66 and 0.77 in), the tarus is 14.8 to 19 millimetres (0.58 to 0.75 in) in length, and it weighs between 7.5 and 13 grams (0.26 and 0.46 oz). It exhibits little sexual dimorphism, but when the black eye trait is shown on females, their eyes are duller and greyer than those of males. The plumage is fresh in August and gradually gets worn away until the following spring. In worn plumage, the whitish feathers forming the ends of the eyebrows are worn, and the eyebrow line becomes discontinuous or inconspicuous, and the upper parts of the bird become duller. Its tail feathers and wings wear, but the blue-grey feather tips exist until at least May. The lower parts tarnish and become increasingly "dirty", and become a greyish-white colour. Sometimes, the eyebrow does not fully extend to the front. The eye line becomes narrower, and the cheek of the bird becomes grey, instead of white. The throat remains white, but the underside of the bird becomes duller, and less pale in adult specimens. Adult specimens molt from July to September, and there is sometimes a partial molt between January and February, prior to the breeding season. The giant nuthatch can occur in the same habitat as the Yunnan nuthatch, but lacks a white eyebrow. The chestnut-vented nuthatch is more similar in size to the Yunnan nuthatch than the giant nuthatch, but is different in colour and also lacks a white eyebrow. 
Size
12 cm
Feeding Habits
Yunnan Nuthatch primarily feeds on insects caught on pine branches. Specific feeding behaviors and unique dietary adaptations are not well-documented, with only basic foraging details available.
Habitat
The yunnan Nuthatch mainly inhabits open, mature pine forests that feature minimal undergrowth or scrub. These birds prefer environments that are not densely populated with spruce or fir trees. Typically, they are found foraging in open woodlands and areas with scattered trees, including relatively small pines. Seasonal movements to lower altitudes occur in winter.
Dite type
Insectivorous
General Info
Distribution Area
It is endemic to South-West China, and mainly occurs in Lushui County, Jinggu Dai and Yi Autonomous County, Shiping County, Kunming, Huidong County, Yajiang County, Xichang, Guizhou, and in Zayü County. A study published in 2003 identified the species being endemic to China, and identified the Hengduan Mountains as the main area of endemism. The Yunnan nuthatch is a sedentary species. It exists in pine forests with sparse undergrowth, and avoids dense spruce and fir forests. Occasionally, it occurs on small pine trees 2 to 3 m (6.6 to 9.8 ft) high, in open forests or among scattered groups of trees. In the summer, it lives at altitudes between 2,440 and 3,960 m (8,010 and 12,990 ft) above sea level (ASL), and travels down into valleys during winter to heights up to 1,200 m (3,900 ft) ASL. However, it has been observed at between 2,600 and 4,000 m (8,500 and 13,100 ft) ASL between November and January in Shuangbai County.
Species Status
In 1987, Zheng Zuoxin described the Yunnan nuthatch as rare, but it is locally common in areas such as Lijiang's pine forests. It has a small range of around 170,000 square kilometres (66,000 sq mi), and the bird disappeared from several locations in the early twentieth century. It is threatened by habitat destruction and is dependent on old pine forests, but also appears to live in degraded habitats. A 2009 study attempted to predict the impact of climate change on nuthatches in Asia, and shows the Yunnan nuthatch's distribution decreasing by between 43.6% and 47.7% by 2040–2069. The species has been classified as near-threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Photo By Arnab Pal 
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Perching birds Family
Nuthatches Genus
Nuthatches Species
Yunnan Nuthatch 
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