- Where to see one
- 5 U.S. zoos in our directory hold chinese hwamei, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the chinese hwamei
The Chinese hwamei, or melodious laughingthrush, is a songbird of eastern Asia in the laughingthrush family. Its name comes from the Chinese for painted eyebrow, describing the white ring around the eye that stretches back as a stripe on reddish-brown, streaked plumage. It measures 21 to 25 cm and lives in scrubland, open woodland, secondary forest, parks and gardens up to 1800 metres. A skulking bird, it forages on the ground among leaf litter for insects and fruit, usually in pairs or small groups. Its loud, clear, varied whistling song includes imitations of other birds, and has made it a popular cagebird.
Chinese Hwamei facts
- The name hwamei comes from the Chinese huà méi, meaning painted eyebrow.
- Its song is a loud, varied whistle that includes imitations of other birds.
- It was introduced to Hawaii in the early 20th century and is now common on Kauai, Maui and Hawaii Island.
- Hybridisation after large 1980s introductions to Taiwan may threaten the native Taiwan hwamei's genetic uniqueness.
Where to see chinese hwamei in the U.S.
5 zoos across 5 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 5 zoos holding chinese hwamei by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
California· 1
Illinois· 1
Kansas· 1
Oklahoma· 1
Virginia· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
