From Opus

Photo by M Kwan
Wonderland Villas, Hong Kong, January 2008

Garrulax chinensis

Dryonastes chinensis

[edit] Identification

23 - 30cm. A dark, medium-sized laughingthrush:

• Black forehead, lores and upper submoustachial area, extending as eyestripe beyond eye
• Uneven, narrow white flecks on forehead
• Slate-grey crown and upper nape
• Mid-grey mantle and dark brown upperparts, upperwing and tail
• White ear-coverts
• Black chin, throat and upper breast
• Darkish grey underparts, germaini and monachus with brown underparts and much browner upperparts

Sexes similar. Juveniles are duller and more olive-toned overall.

[edit] Distribution

Found in southeast Asia in south China (Yunnan to Guangxi, Guangdong and Hainan), Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Population in Hong Kong probably of captive origin.
Fairly common in parts of its range.

[edit] Taxonomy

There are 5 subspecies:

• G. c. chinensis in southeast China, Laos and Vietnam
• G. c. lochmius in south China (Yunnan), east Burma, north Thailand and northwest Laos
• G. c. propinquus in south Burma and west Thailand
• G. c. germaini in south Vietnam and adjacent Cambodia
• G. c. monachus on Hainan

May form a superspecies with similar Chestnut-backed Laughingthrush and has been considered conspecific. Monachus is sometimes considered a full species.
Placed in genus Dryonastes by some authorities.

[edit] Habitat

Broadleaf evergreen forest and mixed forest, also secondary growth, scrub and grass. Recorded up to 1525m.

[edit] Behaviour

Feeds on insects. Takes sometimes some plant material and seeds.
Usually seen in pairs or small groups, often together with other laughingthrushes. Skulking and difficult to see, foreaging in trees, bushes and lower storey.
Breeding season March to August. The nest is a loose cupe made of rattan, bamboo, other leaves and rootes. It's placed in a thick bush or bamboo near the ground, sometimes up to 2m. Lays 3 -5 eggs.
Resident species.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
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

• List of references

[edit] External Links