Gray Treepie

The Gray Treepie is a slender corvid found in hill and mountain forests along the Himalayan foothills, through mainland Southeast Asia, and in Taiwan. Unlike the rufous-bodied Eurasian Treepie, this species shows an overall gray body plumage set off by a black face and a rufous undertail patch. It shares the elongated graduated tail typical of treepies.

Contour feathers on the crown, nape, and body are gray, while the face and throat show a contrasting black mask. The wings are patterned with black and white, and the undertail coverts are a warm rufous, visible when the tail is fanned or the bird is seen from below. The tail is long and graduated, mostly gray with a dark tip. This gray body combined with a black facial mask and rufous vent separates it from the rufous-toned Eurasian Treepie.

Sexes look alike in plumage. Juveniles are somewhat duller and grayer overall with a less defined black face mask, which sharpens as the bird matures. A single complete molt occurs annually after breeding.

Gray Treepies inhabit broadleaf and mixed hill forests, forest edges, and secondary growth across the Himalayan foothills, northern Southeast Asia, and Taiwan. They are largely resident, with some local altitudinal movement.

This species forages in small groups through the forest canopy and understory, taking insects, small vertebrates, and fruit. Calls are varied and include harsh chattering and more musical whistled notes. Flight is somewhat weak and undulating over short distances between trees. Nests are built as stick platforms placed in tree forks within forest habitat.