Grey-breasted Laughingthrush
Encyclopedia
The Kerala Laughingthrush or Grey-breasted Laughingthrush (Garrulax fairbanki) is a species of bird
in the Timaliidae family endemic to the hills of the Western Ghats
south of the Palghat Gap in Southern India
. Earlier considered as a subspecies of Trochalopteron cachinnans which looks similar but slightly larger and black-chinned, this taxon was raised to species status and moved from the genus Trochalopteraon to the genus Garrulax.
s. The breeding season is December and January and the nest is a cup placed in low vegetation. The eggs are blue, marked in various ways with red and brown. One egg measured 2.5 centimetre (0.984251968503937 in) by 2 centimetre (0.78740157480315 in).
Voice is very loud starting with 1 to 2 steeply ascending notes followed by more abrupt notes.
Feeds on invertebrates, wild raspberries
and other fruits, mostly on or near the ground in small parties or small hunting groups.
region and called the Pulney Laughing-thrush. Its main distribution is in the Palani Hills and Annamalai Hills in western Tamil Nadu
and Munnar
, India. This bird is locally common in a narrow distribution range in suitable montane habitats above 1100 metres (3,608.9 ft) in southern Kerala
, western Tamil Nadu
.
See map showing important bird areas with Grey-breasted Laughingthrush.
Its distribution seems to be associated with that of the wild raspberry. It prefers undergrowth, low bushes and bracken
thickets growing along stream banks and edges of shola
s and in tea and cardamom plantations.
A comparative study on the population and habitat use of the Grey-breasted Laughingthrush was conducted at sites in Kodaikanal
Botanical garden, Kodaikanal Golf Course
, Berijam
, Mannavanur
, Kukkal
, Poombarai
and Paricombai. Bird density was high at Kukkal (1.4 bird/ha), followed by Poombarai (0.5/ha), Kodaikkanal Botanical garden (0.33/ha), Golf course (0.16/ha) and Paricombai (0.22/ha).
. Their study recommends no further expansion of plantations and restoration of grasslands and shola forests in the Palni hills to protect the species.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the Timaliidae family endemic to the hills of the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
south of the Palghat Gap in Southern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Earlier considered as a subspecies of Trochalopteron cachinnans which looks similar but slightly larger and black-chinned, this taxon was raised to species status and moved from the genus Trochalopteraon to the genus Garrulax.
Description
This species has a grey-brown crown and narrow brown eyestripe. There is a white supercilium. The cheek is grey, throat and upper breast is rusty brown with fine brown streaks on the white patch at the throat and upper breast. Iris is dark red or red-brown. Upper plumage, wings and tail are olive-brown tinged with rusty especially on the upper-tail coverets. Length is 20 cm (7.9 in) up to 21.5 cm (8.5 in) with 9.3 cm (3.7 in) tail, 8.8 cm (3.5 in) wing, 3.3 cm (1.3 in) tarsus and 2.4 cm (0.94488188976378 in) gape. Both sexes appear the same.Behaviour
They are found in pairs and small groups and they sometimes join mixed-species feeding flockMixed-species feeding flock
A mixed-species feeding flock, also termed a mixed-species foraging flock, mixed hunting party or informally bird wave, is a flock of usually insectivorous birds of different species, that join each other and move together while foraging...
s. The breeding season is December and January and the nest is a cup placed in low vegetation. The eggs are blue, marked in various ways with red and brown. One egg measured 2.5 centimetre (0.984251968503937 in) by 2 centimetre (0.78740157480315 in).
Voice is very loud starting with 1 to 2 steeply ascending notes followed by more abrupt notes.
Rubus armeniacus
Rubus armeniacus, Armenian Blackberry or Himalayan Blackberry, is a species of Rubus in the blackberry group Rubus subgenus Rubus series Discolores Focke. It is native to Armenia in southwest Asia, and widely naturalised elsewhere...
and other fruits, mostly on or near the ground in small parties or small hunting groups.
Distribution
This species was first described from the KodaikanalKodaikanal
-Climate:Kodaikanal has a monsoon-influenced subtropical highland climate . The temperatures are cool throughout the year due to the high elevation of the city.-Economy:...
region and called the Pulney Laughing-thrush. Its main distribution is in the Palani Hills and Annamalai Hills in western Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
and Munnar
Munnar
Munnar is one of the most popular hill station in Kerala and in southern India. Munnar is located on the Western Ghats, situated in the Idukki district....
, India. This bird is locally common in a narrow distribution range in suitable montane habitats above 1100 metres (3,608.9 ft) in southern Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, western Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
.
See map showing important bird areas with Grey-breasted Laughingthrush.
Its distribution seems to be associated with that of the wild raspberry. It prefers undergrowth, low bushes and bracken
Bracken
Bracken are several species of large, coarse ferns of the genus Pteridium. Ferns are vascular plants that have alternating generations, large plants that produce spores and small plants that produce sex cells . Brackens are in the family Dennstaedtiaceae, which are noted for their large, highly...
thickets growing along stream banks and edges of shola
Shola
Sholas are patches of stunted evergreen tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest found in valleys amid rolling grassland in the higher montane regions of South India. These patches of shola forest are found mainly in the valleys and are usually separated from one another by undulating...
s and in tea and cardamom plantations.
A comparative study on the population and habitat use of the Grey-breasted Laughingthrush was conducted at sites in Kodaikanal
Kodaikanal
-Climate:Kodaikanal has a monsoon-influenced subtropical highland climate . The temperatures are cool throughout the year due to the high elevation of the city.-Economy:...
Botanical garden, Kodaikanal Golf Course
Kodaikanal Golf Club
Kodaikanal Golf Club is a private membership club with a 18 hole, par 71 Golf course. It is located about southwest from the center of Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu, South India at an elevation of ....
, Berijam
Berijam Lake
Berijam Lake is a reservoir near Kodaikanal town in Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu, South India. It is at the old site of "Fort Hamilton", in the upper Palani hills....
, Mannavanur
Mannavanur
Mannavanur , is a farming village of 1437 households in Mannavanor Panchayat, Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu, India, west from Kodaikanal It is by road from Kumbur village and from Kilanavayal village. Altitude is...
, Kukkal
Kukkal
Kukkal is a Panchayat village of terrace farmers at the far western end of the Palani Hills in Kodaikanal block of Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu state, South India. It is from Kodaikanal at: . Elevation is . Kookal is notable for the high biodiversity of the area.-Geography:Kukkal sits at the...
, Poombarai
Poombarai
Poombarai is a village located in the heart of the Palani hills, from Kodaikanal at: . Altitude is .It is coming under ANJUR Poombarai is a village located in the heart of the Palani hills, from Kodaikanal at: . Altitude is .It is coming under ANJUR Poombarai is a village located in the heart...
and Paricombai. Bird density was high at Kukkal (1.4 bird/ha), followed by Poombarai (0.5/ha), Kodaikkanal Botanical garden (0.33/ha), Golf course (0.16/ha) and Paricombai (0.22/ha).
Subspecies
This taxon has been lumped with other Laughingthrushes in the past particularly Garrulax cachinnans.- Garrulax jerdoni meridionale, is found on the southern edge of the distribution. This race of Kerala (South of 9 degree N latitude), has paler brown crown a short supercilium that stops above the eye and much greyer upperparts. The streaks on the white centre of belly and throat are denser.
Conservation
The threat to Grey-breasted Laughingthrush by habitat loss has been established by the Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural HistorySálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History
The Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History is a national centre for information, education and research in ornithology and natural history in India. It was inspired by and named in honor of Salim Ali, the leading pioneer of ornithology in India. It is an autonomous organization...
. Their study recommends no further expansion of plantations and restoration of grasslands and shola forests in the Palni hills to protect the species.
External links
- Video of Grey-breasted Laughingthrush
- Bird call of Grey-breasted Laughingthrush
- Photographs
- Jerdon's posthumous supplementary notes on the Birds of India — Ibis 23 pp.306,307