Family: Leiothrichidae

Pterorhinus, Garrulax, Trochalopteron & Heterophasia

Continuing from my write up last week on the Old World Babblers, this week, it is about the Laughingthrushes of the family Leiothrichidae. The laughingthrushes are also a family of Old World passerine birds diverse in size and coloration. These are birds of tropical areas, with the greatest variety in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. The entire family used to be included in the Timaliidae.

These laughingthrushes are small to medium-sized birds with strong legs, and many are quite terrestrial. They typically have generalised bills, similar to those of a thrush. Most have predominantly brown plumage, with minimal difference between the sexes, but many more brightly coloured species also exist.

This group is not strongly migratory, and most species have short rounded wings, and a weak flight. They live in lightly wooded or scrubland environments, ranging from swamp to near-desert. They are primarily insectivorous, although many will also take berries, and the larger species will even eat small lizards and other vertebrates.

The family contains 133 species divided into 16 genera.

I have also included some Sibias from Heterophasia as they are a genus of the same family. Seven species are commonly recognised:

• Long-tailed sibia, Heterophasia picaoides

• Black-headed sibia or Desgodin's sibia, Heterophasia desgodinsi – sometimes in Malacias, formerly considered conspecific with H. melanoleuca

• Dark-backed sibia, Heterophasia melanoleuca – sometimes in Malacias

• White-eared sibia, Heterophasia auricularis – sometimes in Malacias

• Rufous sibia, Heterophasia capistrata – sometimes in Malacias

• Grey sibia, Heterophasia gracilis – sometimes in Malacias

• Beautiful sibia, Heterophasia pulchella – sometimes in Malacias

I have here the first three - Long-tailed Sibia, Black-headed Sibia & the Dark-backed Sibia.

There are also the Barwings, Liocichlas, Cutias and Minlas which I will do separate blogs on starting with the Barwing. The Babblers listed here are not the same as the Babblers I have already written about.

Laughingthrushes

The greater necklaced laughingthrush (Pterorhinus pectoralis) is a species of passerine bird in the family Leiothrichidae. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam and it has been introduced to the United States. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

This species was formerly placed in the genus Garrulax but following the publication of a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study in 2018, it was moved to the resurrected genus Pterorhinus. These were photographed in the dense forests of the Kaeng Krachan National Park in Thailand. I also had the opportunity to witness their behaviour as a flock and with young juveniles. I have included a photo here of an adult feeding a juvenile.

Status: Least Concern

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The lesser necklaced laughingthrush (Garrulax monileger) is a species of bird in the family Leiothrichidae found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. These were also photographed in the Kaeng Krachan National Park in Thailand.

The Lesser Necklaced looks similar to the slightly larger Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush, with which it often associates in mixed flocks; The Lesser differs in being duller rusty overall, having a complete (rather than partial) breast band, and having minimal streaking on the cheeks.

Published on the Wild Bird Trust and National Geographic Blog on the Top 25 Wild Bird Photographs of the Week: Forest Habitats - Large Scimitar Babbler & Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush, Ban Nong Nam, Kaeng Krachan National Park, Thailand - November 22, 2019. View my other publications.

Status: Least Concern

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The chestnut-capped laughingthrush (Garrulax mitratus), also known as the spectacled laughingthrush, is a species of bird in the family Leiothrichidae. It is found in Sumatra (Indonesia) and the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. The chestnut-hooded laughingthrush was previously considered a subspecies. These beautiful birds were photographed in Bukit Fraser in Malaysia.

Status: Near Threatened

This is another species which is under extreme pressure due to trapping or harassment. The open availability of high-quality recordings of these species can make the problems even worse and therefore I do not have a recording here.

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The silver-eared laughingthrush (Trochalopteron melanostigma) is a species of bird in the family Leiothrichidae. It is found in southern Yunnan, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the chestnut-crowned laughingthrush, G. erythrocephalus, illustrated below.

I’ve included a third photo here to illustrate their behaviour in a group. They have always come in a group foraging together and exhibiting social behaviours. These were photographed in the Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park on Doi Huamereng very close to the Thai border with Myanmar.

Status: Least Concern

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The chestnut-crowned laughingthrush (Trochalopteron erythrocephalum) is a species of bird in the family Leiothrichidae. It is found in Bhutan, China, India, and Nepal.

The silver-eared laughingthrush, illustrated above, formerly included as a subspecies, is now usually regarded as a separate species. These are the only two photos I have of the chestnut-crowned. This was photographed in the lush forests of Bukit Fraser, Pahang, Malaysia.

Status: Least Concern

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The white-browed laughingthrush (Pterorhinus sannio) is a bird species in the family Leiothrichidae. It is found in China, Hong Kong, India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

This species was formerly placed in the genus Garrulax but following the publication of a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study in 2018, it was moved to the resurrected genus Pterorhinus. These were photographed in the Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park on Doi Huamereng very close to the Thai border with Myanmar.

Status: Least Concern

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Heterophasia

By some, the genus is considered monotypic, including only Heterophasia picaoides. However, seven species are commonly recognised and listed above with three illustrated here.

The long-tailed sibia (Heterophasia picaoides) is a species of Leiothrichidae from Southeast Asia. The species was once placed in the large family Timaliidae, but that family is sometimes split with this species being placed with the laughing thrushes in the family Leiothrichidae. The species is sometimes treated as the only species in the genus Heterophasia, with the other species being placed in the genus Malacias.

The long-tailed sibia is found from the Himalayas through South East Asia and Sumatra. It is found in evergreen forest, oak and pine forests, secondary growth, scrub with large trees and forest edge habitats. These were photographed on the Hemmant trail in Bukit Fraser, Pahang, Malaysia.

Status: Least Concern

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The black-headed sibia (Heterophasia desgodinsi) is a bird species in the family Leiothrichidae. In former times it was often included with the dark-backed sibia, H. melanoleuca shown below. Together with most other sibias, it is sometimes separated in the genus Malacias.

It is found in China, Laos and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Observed and photographed on Doi Huamereng in the Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park, Thailand.

Status: Least Concern

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The dark-backed sibia (Heterophasia melanoleuca) is a bird species in the family Leiothrichidae. In former times it was included the black-headed sibia, H. desgodinsi. Together with most other sibias, it is sometimes separated in the genus Malacias.

It is found in China, Myanmar and Thailand. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. Observed and photographed on Doi Huamereng in the Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park, Thailand.

Status: Least Concern

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