Fulvous babbler

The fulvous babbler or fulvous chatterer is a species of bird in the family Leiothrichidae. It is 25 cm long with a wingspan of 27–30.5 cm. It is warm brown above with very faint streaking on the crown and back. The throat is whitish and the rest of the underparts are pale brown.

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Distribution

Region

Northwest Africa and the northern Sahara

Typical Environment

Found from coastal Morocco and Western Sahara east through northern Mauritania, Algeria, Tunisia, and into northwestern Libya. Prefers semi-desert and arid scrub with scattered bushes and acacias, especially along dry riverbeds (wadis) and near oases. Occurs around farmlands and palm groves where cover and foraging opportunities exist. Often stays close to dense shrubs for quick cover and uses sheltered thickets for nesting.

Altitude Range

Sea level to 2000 m

Climate Zone

Arid

Characteristics

Size25 cm

Wing Span27–31 cm

Male Weight0.07 kg

Female Weight0.065 kg

Life Expectancy7 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 2/5

Useful to know

The fulvous babbler is a highly social bird that moves in noisy family parties, often cooperating to raise young. Its tawny “fulvous” coloration blends well with desert scrub and wadis, where it spends much of its time on or near the ground. It frequently cocks and fans its long tail while foraging and scolding.

Gallery

Eggs of Turdoides fulva fulva MHNT

Behaviour

Temperament

social and active

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats; weak, low flights between bushes

Social Behavior

Lives in cohesive groups that forage and move together, keeping contact with frequent chatter. Pairs often nest within these groups, with other members sometimes helping to defend territory and feed chicks. Nests are placed low in dense shrubs or thorny bushes.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

A varied series of chattering, scolding notes interspersed with whistles and trills. Groups often engage in antiphonal calling, creating a lively, continuous chorus.

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Identification

Leg Colorflesh-pink

Eye Colorpale yellow

Plumage

Warm tawny-brown above with very faint streaking on the crown and back; underparts pale sandy-brown with a whitish throat. Feathers appear soft and slightly loose, accentuating the long, graduated tail.

Feeding Habits

Diet

Takes a wide range of small invertebrates such as beetles, ants, termites, and caterpillars. Also consumes seeds, berries, and other plant matter, especially when insects are scarce. Forages mainly on the ground and in low shrubs, probing leaf litter and crevices.

Preferred Environment

Feeds along wadis, scrubby slopes, and edges of oases where sparse vegetation provides both cover and prey. Often works through thorny bushes and grass tussocks in small coordinated groups.

Population

Total Known Populationunknown

Fulvous owl

The fulvous owl, or Guatemala barred owl, is a resident of the cloud forests of Central America. A medium-sized true owl, it has a round head, lacking ear tufts. Its typical coloration is warm dark brown or reddish brown on the back and lighter brown on the front with darker barring. Adults weigh approximately 600 grams (21 oz), with females being heavier. Its distribution is limited to highland regions of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. It inhabits elevations from 1,200 to 3,100 meters, and is fairly common within its range. Its behavior is poorly known, as are its population size and distribution. It is classified as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, although it is considered endangered in Mexico.

Fulvous parrotbill

The fulvous parrotbill is a species of parrotbill in the family Paradoxornithidae. The species is also known as the fulvous-fronted parrotbill, the fulvous-fronted suthora, and the fulvous-fronted crowtit. The species, along with several others from the genus Suthora, is sometimes placed in the genus Paradoxornis. The species has four subspecies; the nominate subspecies from central Nepal, Bhutan and north-east India; P. f. chayulensis from north India and south China; P. f. albifacies from north Burma and nearby south China, and P. f. cyanophrys from central China.

Fulvous whistling duck

The fulvous whistling duck or fulvous tree duck is a species of whistling duck that breeds across the world's tropical regions in much of Mexico and South America, the West Indies, the southern United States, sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian subcontinent. It has plumage that is mainly reddish brown, long legs and a long grey bill, and shows a distinctive white band across its black tail in flight. Like other members of its ancient lineage, it has a whistling call which is given in flight or on the ground. Its preferred habitat consists of wetlands with plentiful vegetation, including shallow lakes and paddy fields. The nest, built from plant material and unlined, is placed among dense vegetation or in a tree hole. The typical clutch is around ten whitish eggs. The breeding adults, which pair for life, take turns to incubate, and the eggs hatch in 24–29 days. The downy grey ducklings leave the nest within a day or so of hatching, but the parents continue to protect them until they fledge around nine weeks later.