Rusty-cheeked scimitar babbler

Rusty-cheeked scimitar babbler
Subspecies P. e. erythrogenys from Ghatgarh, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India.
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Timaliidae
Genus:	Pomatorhinus
Species:	P. erythrogenys
Binomial name
Pomatorhinus erythrogenys Vigors, 1832

The rusty-cheeked scimitar babbler (Pomatorhinus erythrogenys) is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family native to South-East Asia.

Subspecies

Pomatorhinus erythrogenys has a number of recognized subspecies:

• P. e. erythrogenys (north-west Himalayas)
• P. e. imberbis
• P. e. haringtoni
• P. e. gravivox
• P. e. macclellandi
• P. e. ferrugilatus (central Himalayas from Nepal to Bhutan)
• P. e. imberbis (east Myanmar)
• P. e. celatus (east Myanmar and north-east Thailand)

Description

The species is olive-brown above with rusty coluring on the sides of the face, head, thighs, and flanks. The belly is mostly white. Sexes are alike. The beak is long and decurved in a scimitar shape.

Distribution and habitat

The rusty-cheeked scimitar babbler occurs in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Taiwan, and Thailand. It inhabits habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests at elevations up to 2600 m.

Ecology

The bird feeds mostly on the forest floor and in low canopy, forming small groups. Food items include insects, grubs and seeds. Calls consist of a mellow, fluty whistle, a two-noted "CUE..PE...CUE..pe" call followed by single note replay by mate, guttural alarm calls and a liquid contact note. The species is generally quite noisy.

Further reading

• 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.