The Ashambu laughingthrush or Travancore laughingthrush is a species of bird in the family Leiothrichidae. It is found in the Western Ghats in southern Kerala and southern Tamil Nadu. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the grey-breasted laughingthrush. It is closely related to the Palani laughingthrush and can be differentiated from it by its very short white brow that stops before the eye.
Region
Southern Western Ghats
Typical Environment
Occurs in montane evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, especially shola patches interspersed with grasslands. It favors dense thickets, forest edges, and riparian scrub, and may use secondary growth near tea or cardamom plantations where cover remains. The species is patchily distributed within protected areas such as Peppara and Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuaries and Kalakad–Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve. It is generally a low, ground- to mid-story forager and avoids open habitats.
Altitude Range
600–2000 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the Travancore laughingthrush, this species is restricted to the southernmost Western Ghats (Agasthyamalai/Ashambu Hills) of India. It was recently split from the grey-breasted laughingthrush complex and is distinguished by a very short white brow that stops before the eye. It keeps to dense undergrowth in shola–grassland mosaics and often joins mixed-species flocks. Habitat loss and fragmentation are its primary threats.
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low dashes through dense cover
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small family parties that keep close contact in dense vegetation. Nests are cup-shaped and placed low in shrubs or tangles; both parents participate in nesting duties. Outside breeding, it may accompany mixed-species foraging flocks along forest edges and streams.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A rich series of bubbling whistles and chuckling notes that can sound like soft laughter from within thickets. Pairs may duet, and groups give excited scolding chatter when alarmed.
