Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea)

Red-billed Leiothrix in Chengdu, China

The Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea) is a tiny, very colourful bird native to the Himalayas and parts of China. Additionally, it became introduced to Japan, Hawaii, and even some areas of Europe. The birds favour the dense undergrowth of hill forests as their habitats where they search for invertebrates, berries, and seeds. They commonly browse in small groups of four to six (occasionally up to 20) individuals. I have observed these pretty little birds during a visit to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan, China, in September 2015. Unfortunately, lighting conditions in the bamboo forests were rather poor, but I still enjoyed seeing the rascals stealing fruits meant for the Red Pandas in the enclosures…