[Ornithology • 2014] Rufous-headed Parrotbill Paradoxornis bakeri and Pale-billed Parrotbill P. atrosuperciliaris in Thailand

When Lekagul & Round (1991) was published, Lesser Rufous-headed Parrotbill Paradoxornis atrosuperciliaris was known from the far north of Thailand but Greater Rufous-headed Parrotbill P. ruficeps was listed only as a hypothetical species which was thought likely to occur in Thailand because it was found in both south and east Myanmar, and in north Laos. Since that time, King & Robson (2008) have examined the taxonomic status of P. ruficeps and proposed that the three subspecies be rearranged with P. r. ruficeps (Bhutan) being separated from P. r. bakeri (north-east India and Myanmar) and P. r. magnirostris (Laos and Vietnam), with P. ruficeps taking the new common name White-breasted Parrotbill andP. bakeri becoming Rufous-headed Parrotbill with magnirostris as a subspecies. In the same paper they proposed P. atrosuperciliaris be renamed Pale-billed Parrotbill.

We document the discovery of a population of Rufous-headed Parrotbill P. bakeri in Mae Moei National Park (NP), Tha Song Yang district, Tak province, west Thailand. We also confirm a range extension of the Pale-billed Parrotbill P. atrosuperciliaris at the same site.

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 Philip Round, Kamol Komolphalin, Wichyanan Limparungpatthanakij and Andrew J Pierce. 2014. Rufous-headed Parrotbill Paradoxornis bakeri and Pale-billed Parrotbill P. atrosuperciliaris in Thailand. BirdingASIA. 22; 32-36.