Alternative names: Orange-billed Scimitar-Babbler; Long-billed Scimitar-Babbler; Lloyd's Scimitar-Babbler; Ochraceous-headed Scimitar-Babbler
- Pomatorhinus ochraceiceps
Identification
22 - 24cm. A distinctive Scimitar-Babbler:
- Very long, orange bill
- Sooty mask with white supercilium
- Brownish to rufous crown
- Brown to rufous upperparts
- White throat
- Breast and belly white to pale buffy (differs in subspecies)
Sexes similar. Juveniles like adults but with shorter bill.
Similar Species
Black-crowned Scimitar Babbler has a blackish crown while Brown-crowned Scimitar Babbler has a black line over the supercilium; both have a shorter, much darker bill. Note also the sooty mask of Red-billed (not black).
Distribution
Found from northeast India east to Burma, southeast Bangladesh, Thailand, Indochina and also in adjacent southern China (Yunnan).
Uncommon in most of its range.
Taxonomy
- P. o. stenorhynchus in extreme northeast India and extreme north Burma
- P. o. austeni in northeast India, southeast Bangladesh and north Burma
- P. o. ochraceiceps in southeast Burma, northwest Thailand, south China (Yunnan) and northern Indochina
- P. o. alius in north Thailand, south Laos and Vietnam
Habitat
Broadleaf evergreen forest and bamboo clumps. Found at 300 - 2400m in India, 600 - 1600m in Thailand and Vietnam, usually above 1220m in China.
Behaviour
Feeds on invertebrates (snails, caterpillars, beetles). Takes also seeds and nectar.
Usually seen in pairs or small groups of up to six birds, often together with White-hooded Babblers. Forages in under- and middle storey. More arboreal than other Scimitar-Babblers.
Breeding season from March to July. The nest is an oval ball made of grass blades and bamboo leaves. It's placed on the ground or low down in undergrowth or creepers. Lays 3 - 5 eggs.
Resident species.
References
- 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
- Rasmussen, PC and JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334672
- 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.
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Red-billed Scimitar Babbler. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 24 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Red-billed_Scimitar_Babbler
