Wildlifeof India
Grey Treepie
Crows, Drongos, Orioles & Shrikes
Photo: (c) 張家瑜, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY (May be cropped or resized)
Dendrocitta formosae
Basic stats
Diet
Insects and other invertebrates, berries, nectar, grain and seeds, and small reptiles, eggs and nestlings
Habitat
Forest, cultivation and human habitation; up to 2,400m in the Himalaya
Range
Himalayan foothills of the Indian subcontinent, Indochina, southern mainland China and Taiwan
Size
36–40cm
Weight
89–121g
The grey treepie, or Himalayan treepie, is a medium-sized, long-tailed crow-family bird 36–40 cm long, weighing 89–121 g. It is separated from other treepies by its overall grey body; the face and throat are dark with a diffuse mask, and the back and scapulars are brownish. It is widely distributed along the Himalayan foothills and extends into Indochina, southern mainland China and Taiwan, and populations vary in plumage (Wikipedia, general species account).
It is largely arboreal, mostly thriving among dense foliage, though it takes some food from the ground, especially in cultivated areas, and sometimes joins mixed flocks with laughingthrushes. The eggs can be whitish, buffish or pale green with brown or grey spots. SoIB 2023 rates it a Low conservation priority, a resident forest bird with a Moderate range of about 209,000 km² and an increase of about 77% over the long term (Wikipedia, general species account; SoIB 2023).
Quick answers
- What does the Grey Treepie eat?
- Insects and other invertebrates, berries, nectar, grain and seeds, and small reptiles, eggs and nestlings
- What habitat does the Grey Treepie live in?
- Forest, cultivation and human habitation; up to 2,400m in the Himalaya
- Where is the Grey Treepie found?
- Himalayan foothills of the Indian subcontinent, Indochina, southern mainland China and Taiwan
- How big is the Grey Treepie?
- 36–40cm
- How much does the Grey Treepie weigh?
- 89–121g