Identification:
Length: 23 cm. Adult birds: Long, curved bill, gray mixed with yellow-green; throat, upper breast, and belly white; rufous-brown breast with streaks and spots of yellowish-brown; rufous-brown sides of the neck; several streaks on the back. Very short tail. Horn-gray, curved, and long bill. Pinkish-brown legs.
Biology and Ecology:
Habitat: Broadleaf evergreen forests, secondary forests mixed with bamboo. Altitude distribution varies depending on the region, from 50 – 1,200m, and 1,500 – 2,100m in the Central Highlands and the Central of Vietnam. They usually forage on the ground or very low in the forest where there are rocks on the surface; often found alone or in pairs. Breeding season from January to April.
Distribution:
- Vietnam: Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien – Hue and Central Highlands.
- World: Laos
Value:
Endemic species of Vietnam and Laos. Of scientific value.
Status:
Not commonly encountered within its distribution range.
Assessment:
LR cd.
Conservation Measures:
Listed in the Vietnam Red Data Book since 1992, category T (threatened) and the Asian Red Data Book (2001), category NT (near threatened). They are currently protected in nature reserves and National Parks within their distribution range.