Alternative name: Trilling Shrike-vireo; Chestnut-fronted Shrike-Babbler
- Pteruthius aenobarbus
Identification
11.5 cm. A small Shrike-Babbler which is sexually dimorphic:
- eye-ring white, narrow, bordered by black below and bisected horizontally by black
- post-ocular spot bordering eye, black, triangular, small
- supra-auricular band broad, greyish curving down around the ear
- wing-bars prominent, two white/whitish or rufous and one or two darker (colours gender-specific)
- legs and feet flesh or greyish
- bill powerful, hooked. Often dark although can appear to be paler near cutting edges or have a paler lower mandible
- eye dark
Male
- forehead dark chestnut bordered above by narrow yellow band
- throat dark chestnut
- upper parts mostly yellow green
- wing bars thick pure white and black (in order from top to bottom: white, black, white, black; shoulder [if visible] provides a black border above the first white bar)
- primaries black with strong white edges
- inner flight feathers yellow green
Female
- upper throat (around bill base) and forehead diffuse pale chestnut (forehead slightly more saturated)
- eye stripe formed by black around eye
- supra-auricular band may be pale brownish
- upper parts suffused with rufous, less green
- wing bars less prominent, rufous replacing white, no clear lower black bar (so appears rufous, black[ish], rufous)
- tertial tips rufous
- underparts whitish
- vent and belly yellowish
Juveniles not described
Similar species
Black-eared Shrike-Babbler is very similar but has a blackish rear border behind the yellow ear-coverts.
Distribution
Java.
Taxonomy
Split from Chestnut-fronted Shrike-Babbler [4].
Like all species of this genus most probably not a babbler but belonging to the Vireos.
Subspecies
Clements regards this species as monotypic [1].
Habitat
Moist montanes and lowland forests. Found at 1000 - 3000 m.
Behaviour
Feeds on cockroaches, caterpillars and other insects, takes also fruit.
Usually seen singly and in pairs, outside breeding season in small groups, often in mixed flocks. Movements sluggish and slow.
Breeding season May to June. The nest is a shallow cup, hidden with moss and spider webs and suspended from a high branch fork of tree. Lays 2 eggs.
Does not migrate.
References
- Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
- 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
- Rasmussen, PC and JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334672
- Rheindt & Eaton 2009. Species limits in Pteruthius (Aves: Corvida) shrike-babblers: a comparison between the Biological and Phylogenetic Species Concepts. Zootaxa 2301: 29–54.
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Trilling Shrike-Babbler. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 7 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Trilling_Shrike-Babbler
