Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Spotted Elachura
Elachura formosa
Spotted Elachura (Elachura formosa) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Spotted Elachura (Elachura formosa) is a member of the Elachuridae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Elachuridae Elachura
- Genus Elachura
- Species formosa
Quick facts
- Weight
- 5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Elachuridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Spotted Elachura is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Spotted Elachura is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Spotted Elachura (Elachura formosa) belongs to the Elachuridae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Himalayas to se China and c Vietnam.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 5 g, with a wing length of about 4.6 cm and a tail of around 3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 663,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Spotted Elachura?
The Spotted Elachura is a very small bird that weighs around 5 g.
Where does the Spotted Elachura live?
The Spotted Elachura is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Himalayas to se China and c Vietnam, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Spotted Elachura belong to?
The Spotted Elachura (Elachura formosa) belongs to the Elachuridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Spotted Elachura eat?
The Spotted Elachura is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Spotted Elachura migrate?
The Spotted Elachura is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Spotted Elachura endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Spotted Elachura make?
1 real field recording of the Spotted Elachura — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Spotted Elachura's range?
The Spotted Elachura has a mapped global range of about 663,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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