Lesser Shortwing

Lesser Shortwing

Brachypteryx leucophris

Silhouette: Martin Bulla, based on François Desbordes' illustration · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Hong Kong

In 3 days <5% in a week ~10%

18 Verified sightings at Hong Kong
968 In all 6 parks From 2019 to 2026
November Best month
🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted

About the Lesser Shortwing

The lesser shortwing (Brachypteryx leucophris) is a species of chat. This species is now classified in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in south-eastern Asia, Sumatra, Java and the Lesser Sundas. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Wikipedia →

Sounds

Song0:40

China · 2026

© Dave Guo · XC1148866 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Call0:13

Malaysia · 2023

© Lim Ying Hien · XC845845 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Song0:10

Bhutan · 2026

© Sonam Dorji, Bhutan Quest Travel (www.bhutanbird.com) · XC1099393 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Kerinci Seblat National Park 🇮🇩 Indonesia
~30%
2 Namdapha National Park 🇮🇳 India
~20%
3 Doi Inthanon National Park 🇹🇭 Thailand
~20%
4 Cuc Phuong National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
<5%
5 Manas National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
6 Royal Manas National Park 🇧🇹 Bhutan
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Guangzhou 🇨🇳 China
<5%
2 Hong Kong 🇨🇳 China
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Lesser Shortwing in Hong Kong?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Lesser Shortwing sighting in Hong Kong on a given day, based on 18 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 146th most-seen of the 204 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, and over a week to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Lesser Shortwing in Hong Kong?

November

In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Lesser Shortwing in Hong Kong on a given day, against under 5% in December to October, the lowest months. That is one of Hong Kong's driest months, with about 30 mm of rain against 280 mm in June.

What time of day is best to see a Lesser Shortwing?

Between 10 am and 1 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Lesser Shortwing sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.

Is Hong Kong the best place to see a Lesser Shortwing?

Among the best

Of the 2 cities where we can rate Lesser Shortwing sightings, Hong Kong ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Guangzhou (China, under 5%).

Where does the Lesser Shortwing sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Lesser Shortwing is recorded against all the birds logged in Hong Kong (18 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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