Accentors · Perching birds
Siberian Accentor
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Prunella montanella
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How to recognize it
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15–17 cm, a bit smaller than a sparrow
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Dark brown crown with a long pale yellow eyebrow
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Brown upperparts with chestnut streaks on the back, grey sides to the neck
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Buff underparts with sparse dark spots on the breast; call "tsee-tsee"
About the species
The Siberian Accentor is a quiet, secretive little woodland songbird that you usually notice first by its brief, fine song. In fresh plumage it still looks fairly plain, but the warm brown tones and pale eyebrow give it a soft, neat look.
It stays low-key and slips quickly into cover. Males sing from the tops of bushes or trees, and between songs it may give a short, clear call.
It favors dense forests and shrub thickets, often with spruce or fir. It feeds mainly on insects picked from the ground, and in winter adds seeds and may even come close to human habitation.
Where to find
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In old city parks and wooded green belts with spruces or firs, look on the ground under dense cover—Siberian Accentor feeds there in quick, darting runs.
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Along stream banks, drainage ditches, and shrubby canal edges, it often pops out onto a small opening before slipping back into the leaves.
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On the edges of damp gullies and overgrown slopes, a male may sing from the top of a bush or a low tree at dawn.
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In winter near feeder spots by apartment blocks or quiet courtyards, it may appear briefly, picking seeds from the ground.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Prunella montanella Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Siberian accentor Encyclopedia article