Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush

Photo by scottishdude
China, August 2008

Photo by scottishdude
China, August 2008

Alternative names: Black-gorgeted Laughingthrush; Necklaced Laughingthrush; Gorgeted Laughingthrush

Garrulax pectoralis

Identification

With 26.5 to 34.5 cm a large Laughingthrush, very similar to Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush which has a similar range. Note especially:

• Thick bill with pale base
• Dark eye with yellowish eye-ring
• Greyish legs

Has also a plainer crown, pale lores (expect in some birds), a bolder black line behind eye and a broader moustachial reaching base of bill, streaked ear-coverts and a blackish capral patch.³

Distribution

Found in SE-Asia from the Himalayas (Nepal, India, Bhutan) to Myanmar, S to Thailand, Laos and Vietnam and east through S China, including Hainan.¹Introduced on the island of Kaua'i (Hawaii)
Common in parts of its range and not globally threatened.¹

Taxonomy

This species is sometimes placed in the genus Ianthocincla.
Clements² accepts seven subspecies:

• G. p. pectoralis in the Himalayas from Nepal to China
• G. p. melanotis in the Himalayas from Sikkim, Assam and Myanmar to S China, also sometimes merged with nominate.^{1, 3}
• G. p. pingi in S China. This form is also treated as hybrid between nominate and robini.¹
• G. p. subfusus in SE Myanmar, Thailand and NW Laos
• G. p. robini in S China, N Vietnam and NE Laos
• G. p. picticollis in E China
• G. p. semitorquatus on Hainan.

Habitat

Found in broadleaf evergreen forest, mixed deciduous forest and mixed broadleaf-coniferous forest. Also in secondary growth, bamboo and plantations. Recorded up to 1830m, occasionally to 2000m.¹

Behaviour

Feeds mostly on insects and fruits. Often found in large flocks, up to 25 birds and often associated with White-crested Laughingthrush and Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush, also with Green Magpie and Greater Racket-tailed Drongo ^1,3
Breeding season from February to August. The nest is placed from ground-level up to about 6m in a bush, a small tree, bamboo or sometimes among grass. It's a large and bulky shallow cup made with dead bamboo, leaves, moss and twigs. Lays 3 to 7 eggs. Brood parasitism by Chestnut-winged Cuckoo recorded.¹
Resident species, no movements known.¹

Reference

1. del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. and Christie, D.A. eds. 2007. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 12. Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 84-96553-42-6
2. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
3. Rasmussen, P.C. and Anderton, J.C. 2005. Birds of South Asia. The Ripley Guide. Washington D.C. and Barcelona: Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Editions. ISBN 84-87334-67-9

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