Long-billed wren-babbler

Overview

Wikipedia

The long-billed wren-babbler is a species of bird in the family Pellorneidae.

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Distribution

Region

Eastern Himalayas and northern Southeast Asia

Typical Environment

Occurs from the eastern Himalayan foothills through northeastern India and Bhutan into northern Myanmar, southwest China (e.g., Yunnan), Laos, Vietnam, and adjacent Thailand. Prefers dense understory of evergreen and moist montane broadleaf forests, especially along shaded ravines. Frequently associated with boulder-strewn streams, tangled roots, and bamboo thickets. Typically keeps to the forest floor and lower strata, moving quietly through leaf litter.

Altitude Range

300–2100 m

Climate Zone

Highland

Characteristics

Size16–18 cm

Wing Span20–25 cm

Male Weight0.038 kg

Female Weight0.035 kg

Life Expectancy6 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

A secretive forest floor specialist, the long-billed wren-babbler uses its long, decurved bill to probe moss, leaf litter, and streamside crevices for invertebrates. It often remains close to shaded ravines and rocky streams, where it is more often heard than seen. Pairs may duet, exchanging clear whistles from dense cover.

Gallery

A bird from Arunachal Pradesh, Zangnan, India

Behaviour

Temperament

skulking and secretive

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats, low and fluttering

Social Behavior

Usually found singly, in pairs, or small family groups, keeping close contact calls in dense cover. Nests are typically placed low and well concealed, often near stream banks or among roots. Breeding pairs may maintain small territories along ravines.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Song consists of clear, mellow whistles delivered in short series, sometimes as antiphonal duets between pair members. Calls include sharp ticks and thin seep notes given from cover.

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Identification

Leg Colorpinkish-flesh

Eye Colordark brown

Plumage

Dusky brown to rufescent-brown above with fine mottling; underparts brownish with faint scaling or speckling on the breast and flanks. Feathers appear soft and cryptic, aiding camouflage in leaf litter.

Feeding Habits

Diet

Feeds primarily on insects and other small invertebrates such as beetles, ants, spiders, larvae, and small snails. Uses its long bill to probe into moss, rotting wood, and crevices around rocks. Also gleans from leaf litter and the bases of ferns and bamboo. Foraging is deliberate and close to the ground.

Preferred Environment

Shaded stream edges, rocky gullies, and dense understory within moist evergreen or montane broadleaf forest. Often forages among mossy boulders, root tangles, and thick leaf litter where cover is abundant.

Population

Total Known Populationunknown

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