- Pterorhinus caerulatus
Dryonastes caerulatus
Garrulax caerulatus
Identification
27 - 29cm (10½-11½ in). A fairly large laughingthrush:
- Rich brown crown, upperparts and tail (dark in nominate, paler in subcaerulatus)
- White throat and breast
- Broadly grey flanks
- Black face and bill with some white on cheek (extend varies with subspecies)
- Black scales on crown
Sexes similar. Juveniles are more rufescent above and have much lesser white on ear-coverts and no black scales on crown.
Distribution
Found from central Nepal along the Himalayas to Bhutan, northeast India, Burma and adjacent south China (Yunnan).
Uncommon in most of its range.
Taxonomy
Has been considered conspecific with Rusty Laughingthrush and may form a superspecies with it.
Placed in genus Garrulax, Dryonastes or in Ianthocincla by some authorities.
Subspecies
Five subspecies recognized[1]:
- G. c. caerulatus Himalayas from Nepal to Bhutan and Assam (north of Brahmaputra)
- G. c. subcaerulatus Southern Assam south of the Brahmaputra (Khasi Hills)
- G. c. livingstoni Eastern Assam (Naga Hills and Manipur) to northwestern Myanmar
- G. c. kaurensis Northern Myanmar (Kachin State)
- G. c. latifrons Northeastern Myanmar (Myitkyina District) and adjacent southern China (northwestern Yunnan)
Habitat
Dense undergrowth like bamboo thickets in broadleaf evergreen forest, scrub and sometimes undergrowth in pine forest.
Found at 1065 - 2745m in India, at 1600 - 2400m in Bhutan.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on berries, seeds and other vegetable matter. May also take invertebrates.
Outside breeding season seen in groups of 3 to 15 birds, sometimes with other species like Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush. Forages in low bushes and on ground, occasionally higher up.
Breeding
Breeding season from April to July. The nest is a large and compact cup made of bamboo leaves, broad grass leaves, coarse grasses, twigs and other material. It's placed in a bush, bamboo clump or tree 1 - 4m above the ground. Lays 2 - 3 eggs. Brood parasitism by Chestnut-winged Cuckoo reported.
Movements
Resident species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2022. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2022. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- 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
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Grey-sided Laughingthrush. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 2 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Grey-sided_Laughingthrush
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
