Bird species endemic to Vietnam distributed in Bidoup Nui Ba National Park

1. Orange-breasted Laughingthrush

The bird, of the Passeriformes order, Leithrichidae family has scientific name Garrulax annamensis  (Robinson & Kloss, 1919). It is medium-sized with an average length of about 25–27 cm. Regarding distinguishing features, the bird usually  has a yellow-brown back, an orange-yellow stripe above the eyes, a black throat, and black stripes on the chest on a yellow-orange background. It has a loud voice.

The bird is endemic to Vietnam. Its habitats are usually evergreen broadleaf forests, forest edges, secondary forests, and open-harvested forests, at altitudes from 900m to 1,500m above sea level. It is a shy, sedentary bird that lives often in pairs or flocks of 3 to 5 individuals. The diet and reproduction of this species are poorly studied. The bird is on the IUCN Red List, level LC

2. Collared Laughingthrush

The bird, of the Passeriformes order, Leithrichidae family, has the scientific name Trochalopteron yersini  (Robinson & Kloss, 1919). It is medium-sized with an average length of about 26–28 cm. Regarding distinguishing features, a mature bird has a black head, silver-gray throat and cheeks, yellow-brown upper abdomen, collar, and upper back. It has olive yellow wings with black feathers. The tail is olive brown with a yellow base edge. The rest of the body is gray, and the belly and underside of the tail are brown. It has a loud voice.

The bird is endemic to Vietnam. Its habitats are usually evergreen broadleaf forests and coniferous broadleaf mixed forest, at altitudes from 1,500m to 2,450m above sea level. It is a shy, sedentary bird that lives often in pairs or flocks of 3 to 5 individuals. The food and reproduction of this species are poorly studied. Juveniles are usually seen from April to June. The bird is on the IUCN Red List, level NE.

3. Indochinese Wren Babbler

The bird, of the Passeriformes order, Leithrichidae family, has the scientific name Napothera danjoui  (Robinson & Kloss, 1919). It is medium-sized with an average length of about 22–24 cm. Regarding distinguishing features, it has a gray and yellow-green long, curved pair of beaks, white throat, upper chest, and belly, and auburn chest with yellow stripes and spots. The sides of the neck are auburn with a few stripes on the back. It has gray beaks and pinkish brown legs .

The bird is endemic to Vietnam, not common in the distribution area. Its habitats are usually canopies of primary and secondary evergreen forests, where there are many bamboos, especially where there are many rocks. The bird is on the IUCN Red List, level NT.

4. Vietnamese Cutia

The bird, of the Passeriformes order, Leithrichidae family, has the scientific name Cutia legalleni  (Robinson & Kloss, 1919). It is medium-sized with an average length of about 17–19cm. Regarding distinguishing features, a mature bird has a black head and nape, red-brown back and hips. The belly has many black bands on a grayish-white background. Wings and sheaths are black and silver. The throat is white. It has a loud and resonant voice.

The bird is endemic to Vietnam and Laos. Its habitats are usually evergreen broadleaf forests and mixed broadleaf coniferous forests, at altitudes from 1,200m to 2,100m above sea level. It is a shy, sedentary bird that lives often in pairs or flocks of 4 to 6 individuals. Its food is mainly insects, seeds, and berries. Birdies and juveniles are usually seen from April to June. The bird is on the IUCN Red List, level NT.

5. Grey-crowned Crocias

The bird, of the Passeriformes order, Leithrichidae family, has the scientific name Laniellus langbianis  (Gyldenstolpe, 1939).  It is medium-sized with an average length of about 22cm. Regarding distinguishing features, a mature bird has a gray feather surface and pale white belly with black stripes on the hips and flanks. The face is black, and the top of the head and the nape of the neck are gray with white stripes. Wings are gray alternating with white, black. The hip and tail feathers are reddish brown; the tail tips are white.

The bird is endemic to Vietnam, recorded in the Da Lat Plateau and some surrounding areas. Its habitats are usually evergreen broadleaf forests in the mountains, at altitudes from 900m to 1,500m above sea level. It is a shy, sedentary bird that lives often in pairs or flocks of 3 to 5 individuals. Single individuals are sometimes seen feeding with some other birds. Its foods are mainly insects. Pairing and spawning are from April to June every year. Populations are usually small in number. The bird is on the IUCN Red List, level EN.

6. Vietnamese Greenfinch

The bird, of the Passeriformes order, Fringillidae family, has the scientific name Chloris monguilloti  (Delacour, 1926). The bird has an average size of 13-14 cm and yellow and black feather. Males have black back, yellow hip and tail feathers, yellow underside, streaked black chest and flanks, and pink beaks. Females have lighter, grayish plumage, dark brown chest, and belly markings. Birdies are lighter in color than the females.

The bird is endemic to Vietnam, only  distributed in the high mountains of Lam Dong Province, distributed at altitudes from 1,000 to 2,000 m. It is usually found only in sparse coniferous forests and cultivated zones of surrounding residential areas. the bird is sedentary and in nest, foraging in small flocks. The breeding period is from December to May next year. The nest is made on conifer branches in a cup shape. The food this species is mainly seeds and insects. The bird is on the IUCN Red List, level NT.

7. White-browed Shrike Babbler

The bird, of the Passeriformes order, Vireonidae family, has the scientific name Pteruthius flaviscapis (Temminck, 1835). It is medium-sized with an average length of about 16-17.5cm. Regarding distinguishing features, the lower part is white, the hips are chestnut brown, the back is silver gray. The head is black with a large white stripe running from the eyes to the nape of the neck. The tail is black. The bird usually has a yellowish-brown back, an orange-yellow stripe above the eyes, a black throat, and black bands on the chest on a yellow-orange background. Its voice is loud with a cheerful rhythm.

This is a bird with 4 subspecies, of which the Da Lat is endemic to Vietnam (Dalat Shrike Babbler - Pteruthius annamensis) recorded in Da Lat Plateau. Its habitats are usually evergreen broadleaf forests and mixed broadleaf coniferous forest, at altitudes from 700 to 2,500 m above sea level. It is a shy, sedentary bird that usually lives in pairs or small flocks. The food and reproduction of this species are poorly studied. The bird is on the IUCN Red List, level LC.

8. Black-crowned Fulvetta

The bird, of the Passeriformes order, Pellorneidae family, has the scientific name Schoeniparus klossi  (Delacour & Jabouille, 1919). It is small-sized with an average length of about 12 - 12.5cm. Regarding distinguishing features, the bird usually has a yellow-brown back, orange-yellow stripe above the eyes, a black throat, and black stripes on the chest on a yellow-orange background. Its voice is long, thin, and shrill.

This bird is endemic to Vietnam, recorded in the Da Lat Plateau. Its habitats are usually evergreen broadleaf forests, forest edges, secondary forests, and open-harvested forests, at altitudes from 1,500 to 2,100m above sea level. It is a shy, sedentary bird that lives often in flocks, moving quickly in the middle leaf layers and near the ground. Its food is mainly invertebrates. The pairing and reproduction of this species is poorly studied. The bird is on the IUCN Red List, level LC.

9. Aethopyga gouldiae annamensis

The bird, of the Passeriformes order, Nectariniidae family, has the scientific name Aethopyga gouldiae  (Vigors, 1831). It is small-sized with an average length of about 11-16cm. Regarding distinguishing features, the main feather color is yellow and red. The top of the head is blue, the throat is red, and the belly is bright yellow.

This is a subspecies bird of which the Da Lat subspecies is endemic to Vietnam (Aethopyga gouldiae annamensis), recorded in the Da Lat Plateau. Its habitats are usually evergreen broadleaf forests, mixed broadleaf coniferous forests, at altitudes from 1000 to 2500m above sea level. It is a sedentary bird that usually lives in pairs or small flocks. The main food is nectar, spiders, and some other insects. Pairing and breeding is from April to August. The nest is pear-shaped or oval about 14-17cm in size. The bird is on the IUCN Red List, level LC.

                                              MSc. Pham Hong Phuong/Institute of Tropical Ecology