Black-eared shrike-babbler

Black-eared shrike-babbler
Subspecies Pteruthius melanotis melanotis from Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim, India.
Subspecies Pteruthius melanotis melanotis from Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary, Sikkim, India.
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	see text
Genus:	Pteruthius
Species:	P. melanotis
Binomial name
Pteruthius melanotis Hodgson, 1847

The black-eared shrike-babbler (Pteruthius melanotis) is a bird species traditionally considered an aberrant Old World babbler and placed in the family Timaliidae. But as it seems, it belongs to an Asian offshoot of the American vireos and may well belong in the Vireonidae. Indeed, since long it was noted that their habits resemble those of vireos, but this was believed to be the result of convergent evolution. It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

Subspecies Pteruthius melanotis melanotis from Fambong Lho Wildlife Sanctuary, Sikkim, India.

An individual from Neora Valley National Park, West Bengal, India.

References

• Collar, N. J. & Robson, C. 2007. Family Timaliidae (Babblers) pp. 70 – 291 in; del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie, D.A. eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 12. Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.