Rufous-tailed Robin
Larvivora sibilans Swinhoe, 1863
≈14 cmLength17 gWeight
This small gray-brown bird is distinguished by its bright reddish-brown rump and tail, with spots on the throat and breast.
Busiest months: May · Most records: China, South Korea, Vietnam
How to identify
Field marks
- Bright reddish-brown rump and tail
- Throat and breast covered in spots
- White ring around the eye and yellowish-brown stripes on the cheek
- Rufous-black bill; pinkish-gray legs and feet
Male, female and young
Sexes broadly similar, though female may be slightly paler; juvenile resembles the adult but has an ochre tinge to the plumage.
Voice
Song is a loud descending trill, like a horse neighing; gives “chok-chok” when rearing young.
Where and when it's recorded
Busiest months: May · Most records: China, South Korea, Vietnam
Rufous-tailed Robin has been recorded at 406 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 11 countries and regions.
Records by month Northern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Tai Po Kau Nature ReserveHong Kong (China)453 records
- Pak Sha OHong Kong (China)390 records
- Po ToiHong Kong (China)352 records
More places
- Nanhui DongtanChina325 records
- Tai Lam Country ParkHong Kong (China)275 records
- Cuc Phuong NPVietnam180 records
- Yeliu IBATaiwan (China)177 records
- Pat Heung Catchwater, Tai LamHong Kong (China)147 records
- Eocheong-do (island)South Korea144 records
- Shing MunHong Kong (China)117 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The rufous-tailed robin (Larvivora sibilans) is a small passerine bird. Its breeding range extends from southern Siberia and the Sea of Okhotsk to southern China and southeastern Asia.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Rufous-tailed Robin?
The Rufous-tailed Robin is about ≈14 cm long and weighs around 17 g.
Where does the Rufous-tailed Robin live?
Its breeding range: Palearctic: central to southeastern Russia, northeastern China and northern Japan. It is most often recorded in China, South Korea and Vietnam.
When is the best time to see the Rufous-tailed Robin?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in May (Northern Hemisphere).
Is the Rufous-tailed Robin endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Rufous-tailed Robin as Least Concern.
What does the Rufous-tailed Robin eat?
Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.
What family is the Rufous-tailed Robin in?
It belongs to the family Chats, Old World Flycatchers (Muscicapidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).
At a glance
- Length
- ≈14 cm
- Weight
- 17 g
- Habitat
- Forest
- Diet
- Insects & other invertebrates
- Lifestyle
- Active on the ground
- Migration
- Migratory
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 68 mm
- Tail
- 50 mm
- Bill
- 14 mm
- Tarsus
- 25 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Palearctic: central to southeastern Russia, northeastern China and northern Japan
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Passerines Passeriformes
- Family
- Chats, Old World Flycatchers Muscicapidae
- Genus
- Larvivora
Other birds in the genus Larvivora
Siberian Blue RobinLarvivora cyane
Indian Blue RobinLarvivora brunnea
Japanese RobinLarvivora akahige
Izu RobinLarvivora tanensis
Ryukyu RobinLarvivora komadori
Okinawa RobinLarvivora namiyei
Rufous-headed RobinLarvivora ruficeps
White-tailed AletheAlethe diademata
Fire-crested AletheAlethe castanea
Karoo Scrub RobinTychaedon coryphoeus
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/). ↗
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