Bhutan Laughingthrush - BirdForum Opus

Photo by BhutanBirds
East Bhutan, May 2012

Trochalopteron imbricatum

Identification

18 - 20cm. A small laughingthrush.

• Dark maroon-brown plumage
• Narrow shaft-streaks over most of plumage except vent and rump, unstreaked brown cap
• Pale brown ear-coverts and lores, rufescent wings and tail edgings
• Broad pale grey tail-tips beyond black subterminal bands

Distribution

Found in Bhutan, northeast India (Arunachal Pradesh) and adjacent southern Tibet. Common in most of its range.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species.
It was formerly included in Streaked Laughingthrush but differs in plumage and vocalization.
This species is sometimes placed in the genus Garrulax or in Strophocincla.

Photo by BhutanBirds
East Bhutan

Habitat

Bushes and scrub on hillsides and open forest, forest edge, around human habitation, field borders, gardens. Found from 1400m to 3900m.

Behaviour

Feeds on insects, berries, fruits and seeds. Will occasionally also take breadcrumbs.
Very conspicuous and a garden bird in many towns and villages, especially in the western Himalaya. Forages on the ground in pairs or small groups of 3 to 6 birds.
Breeding season from March to October. The nest is a loose, untidy cup made of coarse dry grasses, fine plant stems, dead leaves, plant bark, creepers, dry twigs, fern and moss. It's placed in a thick bush or low in a tree, sometimes also in grass or even in honeysuckle on house verandah. Lays 2 - 4 eggs. The nest is often parasitized by Jacobin Cuckoo, Large Hawk-Cuckoo and Indian Cuckoo.
Resident species with some altitudinal movements in harsh winters.

References

1. 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/

1. Avibase#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
2. 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) Bhutan Laughingthrush. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 9 October 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Bhutan_Laughingthrush

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