From Opus

Garrulax caerulatus

Dryonastes caerulatus

[edit] Identification

27 - 29cm. 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.

[edit] Distribution

Found from central Nepal along the Himalayas to Bhutan, northeast India, Burma and adjacent south China (Yunnan).
Uncommon in most of its range.

[edit] Taxonomy

Five subspecies recognized:

• 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)

Has been considered conspecific with Rusty Laughingthrush and may form a superspecies with it.
Placed in genus Dryonastes by some authorities.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Behaviour

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

• List of references

[edit] External Links