Chestnut-shouldered Petronia
Encyclopedia
The Yellow-throated Sparrow or Chestnut-shouldered Petronia (Petronia xanthocollis) is a species of sparrow
found in Asia
.
and unlike them has no streaks on the plumage. The white double wing bar on the shoulder is diagnostic on the otherwise dull grey-brown sparrow. Males have a chestnut shoulder patch which can sometimes be hard to see. They also have a pale yellow spot on the throat in fresh plumage. Females are duller and lack the chestnut shoulder patch. The yellow spot is much reduced or lacking in females.
This species is tree-loving although sometimes seen on wires and on the ground, where it has a hopping gait. The usual call is a "chirrup" but the song is distinctive and repetitive "chilp chalp cholp". It has a bounding flight and dips deeply before rising up.
This species is sometimes lumped into the Yellow-spotted Petronia (Petronia pyrgita) of Africa.
Three subspecies
are described:
_feeding_at_bharatpur_i_img_5258.jpg)
The species breeds in tree hollows from April to July, often making use of the holes made by primary hole-nesting birds such as barbet
s and woodpecker
s. They may also make use of hollows on buildings. The nest is built mainly by the female, but males may sometimes assist. The female alone incubates the eggs, sometimes leaving the nest during the hotter parts of the day. The eggs hatch after about 12 to 14 days.
They roost communally in low bushes. Some populations are migratory, moving in response to rains.
They feed mainly on grains but also on insects, nectar and berries. An unusual food item is the petals of flowers such as those of Madhuca indica. When they visit flowers such as those of Capparis
, Salmalia, Erythrina
and Bassia
, their foreheads are covered with pollen.
The Chestnut-shouldered Petronia is found from Turkey into Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and as a vagrant in Sri Lanka and possibly parts of Myanmar. It is found in forest, gardens and open scrub habitats.
(1896–1987) to ornithology
. As a young boy he shot a sparrow that looked different, and it was identified for him by W. S. Millard
, then secretary of the Bombay Natural History Society
(BNHS), who also introduced him to the literature and collections at the museum there. As a result, Salim Ali ultimatey took up ornithology as a profession. In 2003 the BNHS published a tribute to him entitled Petronia.
Sparrow
The sparrows are a family of small passerine birds, Passeridae. They are also known as true sparrows, or Old World sparrows, names also used for a genus of the family, Passer...
found in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
Description
It has a finer bill than typical sparrows of the genus PasserPasser
Passer is a genus of Old World sparrows. These sparrows are plump little brown or greyish birds often with black, yellow or white markings. Typically 10–20 cm long, they have short tails and stubby conical beaks...
and unlike them has no streaks on the plumage. The white double wing bar on the shoulder is diagnostic on the otherwise dull grey-brown sparrow. Males have a chestnut shoulder patch which can sometimes be hard to see. They also have a pale yellow spot on the throat in fresh plumage. Females are duller and lack the chestnut shoulder patch. The yellow spot is much reduced or lacking in females.
This species is tree-loving although sometimes seen on wires and on the ground, where it has a hopping gait. The usual call is a "chirrup" but the song is distinctive and repetitive "chilp chalp cholp". It has a bounding flight and dips deeply before rising up.
Taxonomy
This species is sometimes placed in its own genus Gymnoris.This species is sometimes lumped into the Yellow-spotted Petronia (Petronia pyrgita) of Africa.
Three subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
are described:
- P. x. xanthocollis, the nominate from India, described from the type locality of Bengal near the Ganges by Major Edward Burton (1790–1867)
- P. x. transfuga described by HartertErnst HartertErnst Johann Otto Hartert was a German ornithologist. Hartert was born in Hamburg. He was employed by Lionel Walter Rothschild as ornithological curator of his private museum at Tring from 1892 to 1929....
from the type locality of Bagu Kelat, eastern Baluchistan, a pale desert form from Baluchistan, SindhSindhSindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, and AfghanistanAfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. - P. x. occidentalis described by Koelz from the type locality of Abulhassan, near Sar i Dasht, Bakhtiari, found from Iran westwards to Turkey.
Behaviour
Barbet
American barbets, family Capitonidae, are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes which inhabit humid forests in Central and South America. They are closely related to the toucans....
s and woodpecker
Woodpecker
Woodpeckers are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes. They are one subfamily in the family Picidae, which also includes the piculets and wrynecks. They are found worldwide and include about 180 species....
s. They may also make use of hollows on buildings. The nest is built mainly by the female, but males may sometimes assist. The female alone incubates the eggs, sometimes leaving the nest during the hotter parts of the day. The eggs hatch after about 12 to 14 days.
They roost communally in low bushes. Some populations are migratory, moving in response to rains.
They feed mainly on grains but also on insects, nectar and berries. An unusual food item is the petals of flowers such as those of Madhuca indica. When they visit flowers such as those of Capparis
Capparis
Capparis is a flowering plant genus in the family Capparaceae which is included in the Brassicaceae in the unrevised APG II system. These plants are shrubs or lianas and are collectively known as caper shrubs or caperbushes...
, Salmalia, Erythrina
Erythrina
Erythrina is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae. It contains about 130 species, which are distributed in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. They are trees, growing up to in height...
and Bassia
Bassia
Bassia is a plant genus of the Amaranthaceae family.-Description:The species of genus Bassia are annuals or perennial subshrubs. Their leaves are very variable and show different C4 "kochioid" types of leaf anatomy. The flowers are normally inconspicuous, in spike-like inflorescences without...
, their foreheads are covered with pollen.
Distribution
Inspiration
This species is said to have introduced Salim AliSalim Ali
Sálim Moizuddin Abdul Ali was an Indian ornithologist and naturalist. Known as the "birdman of India", Salim Ali was among the first Indians to conduct systematic bird surveys across India and his bird books helped develop ornithology...
(1896–1987) to ornithology
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
. As a young boy he shot a sparrow that looked different, and it was identified for him by W. S. Millard
Walter Samuel Millard
Walter Samuel Millard was a British entrepreneur and naturalist who was honorary secretary of the Bombay Natural History Society and editor of the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society from 1906 to 1920, co-author of the classic, Some Beautiful Indian Trees, and the driving force behind...
, then secretary of the Bombay Natural History Society
Bombay Natural History Society
The Bombay Natural History Society, founded on 15 September 1883, is one of the largest non-governmental organizations in India engaged in conservation and biodiversity research. It supports many research efforts through grants, and publishes the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. Many...
(BNHS), who also introduced him to the literature and collections at the museum there. As a result, Salim Ali ultimatey took up ornithology as a profession. In 2003 the BNHS published a tribute to him entitled Petronia.