Black-chinned Laughingthrush

Continuing with our "Animals of the Western Ghats" theme-- today we have the Black-Chinned Laughingthrush, an Endanered bird that lives above elevations of 4,000ft.

This bird has a a confusing taxonomic past, and you will sometimes see it referred to as the Nilgiri or Rufus-Breasted Laughingthrush. It has also gone through 3 different genera before ending up in Trochalopteron!

Today, we know it as T. cachinnans, though it does have a few different subspecies. You can tell those apart based on their coloration and location. Different subspecies have varying amounts of grey and red on their breasts.

All of the subspecies exhibit similar behavior. They live at higher elevations hear forest edges. They forage for berries and insects either alone or in small groups. And they nest between February and June, building nests in low bushes near the ground. Two blue eggs are laid at a time, and the chicks are fully fledged after 3 weeks. Interestingly, the parents will completely deconstruct the nest after fledging!

Like the other animals we've been learning about this week, the Black-chinned Laughingthrush is in trouble due to habitat loss. They also have a small, fragmented range that does their population size no favors.

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IUCN Status : Endangered
Location : India
Size : Length up to 10in (24cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Passeriformes
Family : Leiothrichidae -- Genus : Trochalopteron-- Species : T. cachinnans
Image :  Lee's Birdwatching

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Eastern Bluebird

Sialia sialis (male and female)

The Eastern Bluebird is a small little Thrush that is named after the coloration found in the males-- they have bold blue backs and orange-ish underside. The females have similarly-colored undersides, but have grey feathers up top.

You'll spot these birds all over the Eastern United States, where they live in open areas that have access to nesting sites. They require either tree cavities or nest boxes in order to reproduce, and in fact the growth of man-made nest boxes has helped the species to bounce back from low population levels in the 1960s. Nest boxes allow the Bluebirds to breed in areas where they once couldn't, and they keep the nests safe from certain predators.

When it comes to courtship, the male Eastern Bluebirds select a nest site,  bring materials to it, and do aerial movements to attract females. If a female is enticed, it is she who will actually build the nest and incubate the eggs, though both parents will help to feed the young. The young birds each insects almost exclusively, though as adults they will expand their diets to include fruits and other invertebrates.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Eastern United States
Size : Length up to 8in (20cm), Wingspan up to 13in (32cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Passeriformes
Family : Turdidae -- Genus : Sialia -- Species : S. sialis

Image : Gary Irwin

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White-collared Blackbird

Turdus albocinctus

The name "Blackbird" is one that applies to several dozen different bird species. Most of these are "New World" birds, meaning that they are found in the Americas. however, three species, all members of the Turdus genus, are "Old World" Blackbirds.

The White-collared Blackbird is one of those three species. Found on the Indian Subcontinent, this small bird is a very common species, and is found across several countries. They live in tropical and subtropical mountainous forests, and are generally residents.

They are named for the white rings around their neck (as if you couldn't guess), and have round little bodies. Like most thrushes, they feed on insects, worms, and other invertebrates.

White-collared Blackbirds tend to breed once per year, laying up to 5 eggs in a small cup-shaped nest. Both parents help to care for the chicks.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Central Asia
Size : Length around 8in (22cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Passeriformes
Family : Turdidae -- Genus : Turdus -- Species : T. albocinctus

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White Crested Laughing Thrush

Yesterday, on yet another jaunt to the zoo (memberships are the best!) I happened upon two little birds absolutely making a toddler's day. She would laugh, they would sing back. Over and over. It was pretty cute. Anyway, the birds in question were White Crested Laughing Thrushes, who I confess I have often overlooked on my visits. They share a habitat with the Victoria Crowned Pigeon, and I just love that pudgy turquoise monster.

White Crested Laughing Thrushes are found in south and southeast Asia, and they are incredibly common. They have large white crests, black bars across the eyes, and reddish brown bodies. I am now kicking myself for not recording their call, but to call it laughing would be pretty spot on. This website also has some examples of their interesting music.

Members of the species are very social, and they live in extended family groups that forage together year round. The birds feed on seeds, fruits, and insects, and males and females form strong mated pairs that share incubation and feeding duties.

The population does appear to be on the decline, but not at a rate sufficient enough to be of any major concern.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Asia
Size : Body length up to 8in (20cm)

Classification :Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Passeriformes
Family : Timaliidae -- Genus : Garrulax -- Species : G. leucolophus

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Redwing

Turdus iliacus

The Redwing is a member of the Thrush family that can be found living in various parts of Europe and Asia during the year. They are a migratory species, spending their summers in northern areas like Scotland, Scandinavia, and Iceland, and their winters in Southern and Central Europe, Northern Africa, and Central Asia. Some populations have even made their way to Greenland and North America.

The Redwing is rather obviously named for its reddish-brown wings and sides. The rest of the body is brown and buff, with streaking underneath. A pale line above the eye also helps the identify the species. The males and females look the same, and juveniles also look similar, but have more spots and less red.

The species is omnivorous, feeding on invertebrates in the summer and on seeds and nuts in the winter. The Redwings typically breed between April and July, and pairs usually are solitary. Up to six eggs are laid at once, and they hatch after two weeks. The chicks grow very fast, fledging after 15 days, and leaving their parents entirely when they are about a month old.

If you couldn't tell from the description of their location up above, the Redwing is incredibly widespread. Their overall range measures several million square miles, and the total population is somewhere around 63,000,000 birds! Needless to say they are listed as being of Least Concern.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Europe and Asia
Size : Body Length up to 9.5in (24cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Passeriformes
Family : Turdidae -- Genus : Turdus -- Species : T. iliacus

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