The ashy-headed babbler is a species of passerine bird in the ground babbler family Pellorneidae. The species is also known as the ashy-crowned babbler. The species is closely related to the short-tailed babbler. The two species are sometimes treated as the same species but differ in their calls. The species is monotypic, meaning it has no subspecies.
Region
Borneo
Typical Environment
Found in lowland and hill dipterocarp forests, dense secondary growth, bamboo thickets, and forest edges across Borneo. It keeps close to the ground, moving through tangled vines, rattan, and leaf litter. The species frequents shaded gullies and streamside thickets where cover is dense. It generally avoids open habitats and heavily degraded areas lacking underbrush.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The ashy-headed babbler is a skulking ground-dwelling songbird of Borneo’s forests, often detected by voice before it is seen. It has sometimes been treated as conspecific with the short-tailed babbler but differs notably in its vocalizations. The species is monotypic with no recognized subspecies. It favors dense undergrowth and can persist in selectively logged or secondary forests if the understory remains intact.
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low to the ground
Social Behavior
Usually found singly, in pairs, or small family parties, sometimes joining mixed-species understory flocks. Nests are typically cup-shaped and placed low in dense vegetation or near the ground. Both sexes likely participate in parental care, and territories are maintained by vocal duets and calls.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of mellow, whistled notes and short phrases, often delivered as a duet between pair members. Calls are softer and differently paced compared to the short-tailed babbler, aiding identification in dense cover.
