Description:

Medium sized accentor with paler bill, somewhat similar to Alpine Accentor, distinctly marked chest and belly. More extensive white throat and diffuse rufous spotting across breast (extending onto flanks). Typically has diffuse malar stripe of black spotting, and black gorget across lower throat. Has white tips to wing coverts.

Distribution:

Uncommon resident in the western half, mainly in Ghizer, Hunza, Nagar and Diamer. In summer, stony alpine meadows and bare rocky hillsides with sparse cover, around 2800-5500m. Winters on grassy, rocky hillsides and valleys at lower altitude.

Behavior:

Forages on ground, with low crouching gait. In winter forages in large flocks of, sometimes accompanied by Alpine Accentor and Plain Mountain Finches. Diet largely insects; also spiders, small snails and earthworms. Also some vegetable matter, seeds of herbs and grasses eaten mostly in late summer and winter, when seeds of pines may also be taken; also eats cereals and berries.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

Distribution Map of Altai Accentor in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )

Seasonal Occurrence of Altai Accentor

Resources:

Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)

*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.