>Paradoxornis (Hemirhynchus) unicolor (Brown Parrotbill)

Brown Parrotbill

Brown Parrotbill
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Paradoxornithidae
Genus:	Paradoxornis
Species:	P. unicolor
Binomial name
Paradoxornis unicolor (Hodgson, 1843)
Synonyms
Cholornis unicolor

The Brown Parrotbill (Paradoxornis unicolor) is a species of bird found in the central and eastern Himalayas. It has earlier been called a Brown Suthora but is now placed in the distinct family Paradoxornithidae.

Illustration by John Gould

This is a 17-19 cm long grey brown bird with a long tail and a characteristic small yellowish parrot-like bill. A dark stripe runs above the eyes and along the sides of the crown. They move in small groups and will sometimes join mixed species foraging flocks. It is found in Bhutan,China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.

Originally described by Brian Houghton Hodgson in the genus Hemirhynchus this species was later included in the genus Heteromorpha. They are now usually treated as members of the family Paradoxornithidae within which its closes relative is the Three-toed Parrotbill. Subspeciescanaster described by Thayer and Bangs in 1912 from Hsikang and saturatior described by Rothschild in 1921 froom Yunnan are generally not considered valid.