# Red-billed Leiothrix (*Leiothrix lutea*) The Red-billed Leiothrix is a colorful bird with a bright yellow belly and a lovely red bill. It loves to hop around in bushes and trees, singing cheerful songs that make the forest feel alive! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Chinese Nightingale, Leiothrix ![Red-billed Leiothrix](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Red-billed_Leiothrix_Mangoli_Nainital_Uttarakhand_03.02.2015.jpg&width=800) Photo: Dibyendu Ash, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Red-billed_Leiothrix_Mangoli_Nainital_Uttarakhand_03.02.2015.jpg) ## Appearance The Red-billed Leiothrix is a vibrant bird with a striking red bill and an olive-green back. It features a bright yellow-orange throat and chest, a contrasting white eye-ring, and patches of yellow and red on its wings, making it easily distinguishable. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Leiothrichidae - **Genus:** Leiothrix ## Interesting facts - Despite their bright colors, these clever birds are very shy and hard to spot! - Known as the 'Chinese Nightingale' for its incredibly varied and beautiful songs! - These social birds often forage in mixed flocks with other species, like a bird party! - They love taking dust baths to keep their vibrant feathers clean and healthy! ## Special abilities - **Melody Weaver:** Red-billed Leiothrix can produce a rich, varied song because of its complex vocal cords that help it communicate and attract mates. - **Camouflage Master:** Red-billed Leiothrix has olive-green plumage that helps it blend seamlessly into dense forest undergrowth to avoid predators. - **Frugivore Feeder:** Red-billed Leiothrix can efficiently digest a wide variety of fruits thanks to its specialized digestive system, aiding seed dispersal. - **Acrobatic Forager:** Red-billed Leiothrix has agile feet that allow it to hang upside down to reach insects and berries, accessing hidden food. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 13-16 cm - **Wingspan:** 19-22 cm - **Weight:** 0.018-0.029 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-5 - **Incubation:** 13-14 days ## Diet & Feeding They love to snack on fruits, insects, and seeds, helping to spread plants! - **Primary Foods:** Berries, Small insects, Seeds, Nectar - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Sparrowhawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-sparrowhawk) (*Accipiter nisus*) — Small birds like leiothrix are common prey for this agile raptor. - **Eats:** [Common Fig](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-fig) (*Ficus carica*) — Consumes various fruits, including figs, aiding in their seed dispersal. - **Eaten by:** Common Cat Snake (*Boiga trigonata*) — Tree-dwelling snakes can prey on eggs and nestlings. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Red-billed Leiothrix? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Red-billed Leiothrix? 13-16 cm ### What is Red-billed Leiothrix's wingspan? 19-22 cm ### How much does Red-billed Leiothrix weigh? 0.018-0.029 kg ### How long does Red-billed Leiothrix live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Red-billed Leiothrix move? 40 km/h ### What does Red-billed Leiothrix eat? They love to snack on fruits, insects, and seeds, helping to spread plants! ### Where is Red-billed Leiothrix usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Ke'anae Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/keanae-arboretum) — Hawaii, US · Botanical Garden - [Wahiawa Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/wahiawa-botanical-garden) — Hawaii, US · Botanical Garden ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Red-billed Leiothrix: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-billed-leiothrix)