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White-cheeked Laughingthrush - BirdForum Opus

Photo © by tony.saw
Datlana Waterfall area, Da Lat, Vietnam, February 2011
Pterorhinus vassali

Garrulax vassali Dryonastes vassali

Identification

26.5 - 28.5cm. A medium-sized laughingthrush:

  • Slaty grey crown
  • Rufescent brown upperparts
  • Olive-tinged greyish basal half of tail, other half blackish-brown with white white tail tips
  • Black mask (lores, forehead, area above and below eye, chin, upper throat and upper ear-coverts)
  • Throat side and lower ear-coverts white
  • Lower throat and breast greyish, rest of underparts pale buffy brown

Sexes similar. Juveniles undescribed.

Photo © by tony.saw
Datlana Waterfall area, Da Lat, Vietnam, February 2011

Similar species

Could be confused with Black-throated Laughingthrush. Note missing white above black mask, paler underparts, black not extending to upper breast and different tail.

Distribution

Found in south Laos, south Vietnam and adjacent east Cambodia.
Locally common restricted-range species.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species[1].
This species is sometimes placed in the genus Ianthocincla, Garrulax or in Dryonastes.

Habitat

Moist lowland forests and moist montanes. Also secondary growth and sometimes grass and scrub. Found at 650 - 2000m.

Behaviour

No information about diet.
Usually seen in groups of up to 50 birds, often in mixed flocks with other laughingthrushes. Forages on or near the ground.
Breeding season March to June in Vietnam. The nest is a cup. No other information.
Resident species.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. 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

Recommended Citation

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