Altai accentor

The Altai accentor was described by the English zoologist Edward Blyth in 1842 and given the binomial name Accentor himalayanus.{{ cite journal | last=Blyth | first=Edward | author-link=Edward Blyth | year=1842 | title=Notes on various Indian and Malayan birds, with descriptions of some presumed new species | journal=Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal | volume=11 | issue=121 | pages=160–195 [187] | url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/39999904 }} The Altai accentor is now placed in the genus Prunella that was introduced by the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot in 1816.{{cite book | last=Vieillot | first=Louis Pierre | author-link=Louis Pierre Vieillot | year=1816 | title=Analyse d'une Nouvelle Ornithologie Élémentaire | publisher=Deterville/self | location=Paris | page = 43 | language=French| url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k9745205x/f49.image }} The species is monotypic.{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | year=2019 | title=Waxbills, parrotfinches, munias, whydahs, Olive Warbler, accentors, pipits | work=World Bird List Version 9.1 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/waxbills/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=11 March 2019 }}

This species, along with the alpine accentor, is sometimes separated from the other accentors into the genus Laiscopus.HBW volume 10, page 496

This accentor is a relatively large member of its family, measuring 15-15.5 cm in length. It has a gray head, a white throat framed by black spots, and a chestnut-brown with dark streaks back and mantle. The upperparts are a paler shade of brown. The wings are rusty brown with two distinct white wing bars, and the underside is white with rusty red spots on the breast and flanks.{{Cite book |last=Inskipp |first=Carol |title=Birds Of The Indian Subcontinent |last2=Grimmett |first2=Richard |date=January 1, 1999 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0195649079}}{{Cite journal |last=Hatchwell |first=Ben |date=2020 |title=Altai Accentor (Prunella himalayana), version 1.0 |url=https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/himacc1/cur/introduction |journal=Birds of the World |language=en |doi=10.2173/bow.himacc1.01species_shared.bow.project_name |issn=2771-3105}}

The altai accentor breeds in mountainous regions from southern Russia (Altai eastward to the mountains east of Lake Baikal) and northwestern Mongolia southward to the Tien Shan, Pamir, and northeastern Afghanistan. Outside the breeding season, it can be found in the Himalayas, with records extending eastward at least to Bhutan.

It breeds on sparsely vegetated, rocky alpine meadows at elevations ranging from 2800 to 5000 meters. During the breeding season (May to August), it primarily feeds on invertebrates, supplementing its diet with berries in winter. It likely produces two broods annually.

This species is evaluated as "Least Concern" by the IUCN Red List, due to its extensive range, stable population trend, and a population size not believed to approach threatened levels

File:Altai accentor sitting.jpg|Altai accentor in Pangot

File:Altai accentor flock.jpg|Flock of Altai accentor in flight. From Pangot, Uttarakhand, India

File:Altai Accentor Gnathang Valley Sikkim 28.04.2019.jpg|highly camouflaged when on ground at Gnathang Valley, Sikkim, India

File:Altai Accentor in Sikkim India.jpg|Taken at Gnathang, Sikkim, India

File:Prunella himalayana by John Gould.jpg|Painting by John Gould

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Prunella-himalayana Xeno-canto: audio recordings of the Altai accentor]

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Altai accentor

Category:Birds of Mongolia

Altai accentor

Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot

Altai accentor

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