Latin name:Saxicola ferrea
Vietnamese Name:Sẻ bụi xám
Family:Turdidae
Order:Passeriformes
Class (Group):

Adult Male:

  • Winter Plumage: The area in front of the eye, cheeks, ears, and sides of the head are black. There is a pale gray eyebrow stripe. The upperparts are black with gray feather edges, often with a rufous streak on the back. The innermost wing coverts are white. The chin and throat are white. The remaining underparts are pale gray, with a slight rufous wash on the breast.

  • Summer Plumage: The gray feather edges gradually wear away. In summer, the upperparts are almost entirely black, while the underparts are white.

Adult Female:

  • The upperparts are pale brown, with dark brown streaks down the center of the feathers. The tail is rufous-brown. The underparts are pale rufous-brown, with a pale white chin and throat.

  • Eyes are dark brown. The beak and legs are black.

Measurements:

  • Wing: 60 – 72 mm
  • Tail: 55 – 60 mm
  • Tarsus (leg): 20 – 21 mm
  • Beak: 10 – 11 mm

Distribution:

  • The species is distributed in northern Myanmar, southern China, and Indochina.
  • In Vietnam, it is commonly found in hilly and mountainous areas with dense shrubs, from the Vietnam-China border to Di Linh.