Rufous-fronted Laughingthrush - BirdForum Opus

Alternative names: Red-fronted Laughingthrush

Garrulax rufifrons

Identification

With 27cm a quite large, but featureless Laughingthrush^{1, 3}:

• Olive-brown plumage above
• Fulvous-brown plumage below
• Forehead and chin rufous
• Greyish cheeks
• Pale brown throat
• Yellowish-orange iris
• Black bill
• Brownish-green feet

Slamatensis is slightly rufous-tinged above and washed dull chestnut below.
Sexes are similar.
Juveniles are not described.

Distribution

Endemic to W and C Java (Indonesia).^{1, 3}
Restricted range species which is now uncommon in most of its range due to explotation as cage-bird.¹

Taxonomy

Two subspecies recognized^{1, 2}:

• G. r. rufifrons in W Java
• G. r. slamatensis around Mount Selamat in C Java

Habitat

Broadleaf evergreen forest, recorded from 900m to 2500m.¹

Behaviour

Feeds on berries and insects. Usually in noisy groups of up to 15 birds, often found in bird-waves.
Breeding season from May to June and in September. The nest is a cup, placed on a branch fork near the ground. Lays 2 - 3 eggs.
The species is resident.¹

References

1. del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. and Christie, D.A. eds. 2007. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 12. Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 84-96553-42-6
2. Clements James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
3. Mackinnon, J. and Phillipps, K. 1993. A field guide to the Birds of Borneo, Sumatra, Java and Bali. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0198540345

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