Alternative names: Striated Babbler; Deccan Babbler (somvervillei)
- Turdoides striata
Identification
25cm. The most widespread Turdoides-babbler of the Indian Subcontinent.
- Drab grey plumage
- Yellow bill
- Pale lores
- Pale yellowish eyes
Other plumage markings are variable and diffuse. Juveniles are browner-tinged overall.
Confusion species
Yellow-billed Babbler has pale bluish eyes and pale panel on wing. All other Turdoides-babblers of the region don't have a yellow bill and most of them are much more streaked.
Distribution
India, Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan.
Common in most of its range.
Taxonomy
Five subspecies usually accepted:
- T. s. sindiana in Pakistan and northwest India
- T. s. striata along the Himalayan foothills
- T. s. orientalis in central and south India
- T. s. somervillei in coastal western India
- T. s. malabarica in southwest India from Goa to Kerala
May form a superspecies with Orange-billed Babbler and has been considered conspecific with it.
The scientific name was formerly spelled Turdoides striatus.
Habitat
Found in a wide variety of habitats from open and secondary forest to scrubland, plantations, orchards, hedges in cultivation or bushes in waste ground..
Locally up to 1830m.
Behaviour
Feeds mainly on insects but takes also frogs, grain, seeds, berries and nectar.
Gregarious and often in big groups of 6 to 12 birds or in mixed-species flocks, sometimes mixing with Yellow-billed Babbler. Usually foraging on the ground.
Breeding season all year, peak time from February to October. The nest is a loose, deep or shallow cup, made of grasses. It's placed in a bush, hedge or in a small tree. 3-7 deep greenish blue eggs are laid.
Resident species.
References
- 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
- Rasmussen, PC and JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334672
