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:	Laniidae
Genus:	Pteruthius
Species:	P. melanotis
Binomial name
Pteruthius melanotis Hodgson, 1847

The black-eared shrike-babbler (Pteruthius melanotis) is a bird species in the vireo family, Vireonidae. It was traditionally considered as an aberrant Old World babbler and formerly placed in the family Timaliidae. It was long noted that their habits resembled those of vireos, but this was previously ascribed to the result of convergent evolution. It is found in Southeast Asia from the Himalayas to western Malaysia. 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.