Alternative names: Sooty-headed Babbler; Sooty-headed Plain Babbler; Small Tree-Babbler, Sooty-capped Tree-Babbler
- Malacopteron affine
Identification
15.5 - 17cm. A dark-backed hook-billed Babbler:
- Blackish-brown (nominate) or dark brown (phoeniceum) crown
- Olive-brown upperparts
- Dull chestnut tail
- Pale grey lores, supercilium and ear-coverts
- Submoustachial are white (see Moustached Babbler)
- Underparts whitish with some grey on breast
Sexes similar.
Distribution
Found in south Thailand, patchily in peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo.
Common in parts of its range (eg Taman Negara), rare in others.
Taxonomy
Two subspecies recognized:
Described race notatum from Banyak Island usually not accepted and merged in nominate.
Habitat
Edges and naturally disturbed areas of primary broadleaf evergreen forest, often along rivers or tracks. Also peatswamp-forest, selectively logged forest and overgrown plantations. Found in lowlands up to 455m in southeast Asia, 700m in Sumatra.
Behaviour
Feeds on ants, beetles and caterpillars.
Usually seen in small groups, foraging about 6.5m above the ground foliage gleaning.
Breeding season April to May in southeast Asia, maybe year-round in Borneo. The nest is a shallow cup made of dead leaves, twigs and fibres. It's placed in a triangel formed by stems of two saplings and creeper or among dead leaves attached to dead twigs, about 1 - 7m above the ground. Lays 2 eggs.
Resident species.
References
- 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.
- 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
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Sooty-capped Babbler. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 23 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Sooty-capped_Babbler
