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Common Babbler - BirdForum Opus

Revision as of 02:06, 6 April 2024 by Aloktewari (talk | contribs) (Images repositioned; showing better plumage view)
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Dorsal view : Ssp. caudata
Photo © by Alok Tewari
Sultanpur, Gurgaon, Haryana, India, August 2015


Alternative name: Scrub Babbler

Argya caudata

Turdoides caudata

Identification

20-26 cm (7¾-10¼ in)

  • Very long-tailed Babbler
  • Slender, slightly down-curved bill
  • Dark eyes
  • Strong dark streaks on pale buff to grey upperparts
  • Unmarked pale underparts

Confusion species

Spiny Babbler in Nepal is darker above and paler below. Striated Babbler in northern India and Pakistan has a dark throat.

Distribution

Found in South Asia: From southern Pakistan to India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
Resident.

Taxonomy

This species is also sometimes placed in genus Turdoides.

Ventral view : Ssp. caudata
Photo © by Rakesh
Diwe Ghat, Pune India, February 2007

Subspecies

Two subspecies accepted[3]:

  • T. c. caudata in eastern Pakistan, most of India (except the Himalayas and northeastern India), and southwestern Nepal and Bangladesh; also Rameswaram Island
  • T. c. eclipes in northern Pakistan and adjacent India

Afghan Babbler was formerly considered conspecific.

Habitat

Dry open scrubland, semi-deserts, thorn-scrub, sandy floodplains and rocky hills.

Behaviour

Diet

Feeds mainly on insects but takes also grains, berries and nectar. Forages in noisy groups of 6 - 7 birds (called Seven Sisters in India, a name which is also used for Yellow-billed Babbler) but groups can be bigger.

Breeding

Breeding season all year. May breed several times a year. Co-operative breeder with complex family structures. The nest is a neat, deep cup, made of grasses and placed in a bush or a small tree. Lays 3 - 5 eggs.

Vocalisation

Recording by Alok Tewari
Keoladeo National Park, India, June-2017
Long call by two individuals, calling after daybreak. Very brief calls by Indian Peafowl, Plain Prinia and Red-wattled Lapwing.

Recording by Alok Tewari
Keoladeo National Park, India, July-2015
Single call / song by one individual in peak summer-monsoon month, early morning time.

References

  1. 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
  3. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/

Recommended Citation

External Links

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.

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