From Opus

Photo by johnjemi
Hailuogou, Sichuan, China

Alternative names: Eastern Scaly-breasted Wren Babbler; Greater Scaly-breasted Wren Babbler; Scaly-breasted Wren

Pnoepyga albiventer

[edit] Identification

A small (8.5 - 10cm), almost tailless Babbler with a dark and a pale morph.
Pale morph:

• Crown and upperparts olive-brown
• Vague dark scaling on upperparts
• Chin and throat white with slight dark scaling
• Belly and breast white with scaling
• Head side brownish-olive with white shaft streaks

Dark morph:

• Upperparts darker olive-brown, white replaced with fulvous

Sexes are similar. Beware of confusion with similar Nepal Wren Babbler and Pygmy Wren Babbler.

[edit] Distribution

	Found in the Himalayas from Himachal Pradesh (India) east to Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh onward to Xizang, Sichuan and Yunnan in China. Also in the NE Indian Hill states, locally in NW Myanmar and N Vietnam (Tonkin). Common in parts of its range.
	Legend • P. a. pallidior; year-round • P. a. albiventer; year-round Maps/Texts consulted1,2

[edit] Taxonomy

Clements³ accepts two subspecies:

• P. a. albiventer in the eastern part of its range
• P. a. pallidior in the western part

The subspecies formosana of Pygmy Wren Babbler is sometimes also placed in this species but may form a full species Taiwan Wren Babbler Pnoepygna formosana.¹

[edit] Habitat

Occurs near water in damp, shady places. Broadleaf forest, fir forest, hemlock or birch forest, forest edge, wet ravines and in waist-high fern growth. During breeding season between 2400 - 3900m, in winter down to 275m.¹

[edit] Behaviour

Usually found in pairs during the breeding season and single in winter, mostly on the ground where it feeds on insects and seeds. Creeps through undergrowth, nervously flicking its wings.
Breeding season from March to August. Nest built in moss on ground, rock or on trunk of large tree, looking very similar to nest of Northern Wren. Lays 2 - 5 eggs.
Resident species with some altitudinal movement.¹

[edit] References

1. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2007. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 12: Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553422
2. Rasmussen, PC and JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334672
3. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.

• List of references

[edit] External Links

• View more images of this species on Orientalbirdimages