Grey-sided Laughingthrush

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 from central Nepal over Bhutan to northeast India (Arunachal Pradesh)
• G. c. subcaerulatus in Meghalaya and south Assam (India)
• G. c. livingstoni in southeast Arunachal Pradesh to Mizoram (India) and adjacent northwest Burma
• G. c. latifrons in extreme northeast Burma and adjacent south China (Yunnan)
• G. c. kaurensis in east Burma and adjacent Yunnan (China)

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

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
3. Rasmussen, PC and JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334672

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Grey-sided Laughingthrush. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 18 June 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Grey-sided_Laughingthrush

External Links

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