The Chestnut-bellied Nuthatches (Sitta cinnamoventris) are native to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam; where they inhabit dry forests, moist lowland forests, and humid mountainous areas.
Recognized Subspecies and Ranges
- Sitta cinnamoventris cinnamoventris (Blyth, 1842) – Nominate form
- Found in the foothills from east-central Nepal east to northeastern India (in northern West Bengal and most of Arunachal Pradesh, as well as the hills of Meghalaya, Manipur and Mizoram), southeastern Bangladesh (in the Chittagong Hills), northeastern Myanmar (south to about Myitkyina) and southern China (Yingjiang River, in extreme western Yunnan)
- Sitta cinnamoventris almorae (Kinnear and Whistler, 1930)
- Found in the foothills of western and central Himalayas from Pakistan (Murree Hills and Azad Kashmir) east to northern India (Himachal Pradesh, extreme northern Haryana and Uttaranchal Pradesh) and east-central Nepal. Their range overlaps with the nominate race in east-central Nepal.
- Sitta cinnamoventris koelzi (Vaurie, 1950)
- Range: Northeastern India – from southeastern Arunachal Pradesh (Patkai Range) south to Nagaland and southern Assam (northern Cachar), and northwestern Myanmar.
- Sitta cinnamoventris tonkinensis (Kinnear, 1936)
- Range: South Yunnan in Southern China, northwestern Vietnam (including Cha Pa, Na Hang, Muong Moun), northern Laos (south to at least Nape) and Doi Hua Mot in Thailand.
Description
The Chestnut-bellied Nuthatches resemble the related Indian Nuthatch, but has a heavier bill and the crown and mantle are the same shade.
The wing and tail show contrasting markings, silvery-edged primary feathers, and blackish inner webbing.
Its tail is marked by large patches of white. It measures 13 cm (5.25 in) in length.
Alternate (Global) Names
Chinese: ??? … French: Sittelle de Blyth, Sittelle du piémont … German: Zimtbauchkleiber … Polish: kowalik cynamonowy … Slovak: brhlÃk Å¡koricový … Spanish: Trepador Ventricastaño
