Common Babbler

From Opus

Turdoides caudata

Contents 1 Identification 1.1 Confusion species 2 Distribution 3 Taxonomy 3.1 Subspecies 4 Habitat 5 Behaviour 5.1 Diet 5.2 Breeding 5.3 Vocalisation 6 References 7 External Links

[edit] Identification

20-26 cm (7¾-10¼ in)

• Very long-tailed Babbler
• Slender, slightly down-curved bill
• Dark eyes
• Strong dark streaks on pale buff to grey upperparts
• Unmarked pale underparts

[edit] Confusion species

Spiny Babbler in Nepal is darker above and paler below. Striated Babbler in northern India and Pakistan has a dark throat.

[edit] Distribution

Found in South Asia: From southern Pakistan to India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
Resident.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies

Two subspecies accepted^[3]:

• T. c. caudata in Pakistan, most of India, Nepal and Bangladesh
• T. c. eclipes in northern Pakistan and adjacent India

Afghan Babbler was formerly considered conspecific.
This species is also sometimes placed in genus Argya.

[edit] Habitat

Dry open scrubland, semi-deserts, thorn-scrub, sandy floodplains and rocky hills.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Diet

Feeds mainly on insects but takes also grains, berries and nectar. Forages in noisy groups of 6 - 7 birds (called Seven Sisters in India, a name which is also used for Yellow-billed Babbler) but groups can be bigger.

[edit] Breeding

Breeding season all year. May breed several times a year. Co-operative breeder with complex family structures. The nest is a neat, deep cup, made of grasses and placed in a bush or a small tree. Lays 3 - 5 eggs.

[edit] Vocalisation

Listen in an external program
Recording by Alok Tewari
Keoladeo National Park, India, June-2017
Long call by two individuals, calling after daybreak. Very brief calls by Indian Peafowl, Plain Prinia and Red-wattled Lapwing.

Listen in an external program
Recording by Alok Tewari
Keoladeo National Park, India, July-2015
Single call / song by one individual in peak summer-monsoon month, early morning time.

[edit] References

1. 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
2. Rasmussen, PC and JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334672
3. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/

• List of references

[edit] External Links

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