The Sikkim wedge-billed babbler or blackish-breasted babbler is a species of bird in the Old World babbler family (Timaliidae). It is named for the Indian state of Sikkim.
Region
Eastern Himalayas
Typical Environment
Occurs from eastern Nepal through Sikkim and Bhutan into northeastern India (e.g., Darjeeling, Arunachal Pradesh) and adjacent foothill ranges. It inhabits evergreen and mixed broadleaf forests with dense understory, especially bamboo and tangled shrubs. The species favors ravines, streamside thickets, and mossy forest floors where cover is abundant. It is typically local but can be fairly common in suitable habitat.
Altitude Range
300–2100 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the blackish-breasted babbler, this shy undergrowth specialist is named after the Indian state of Sikkim. It keeps to dense thickets and bamboo, where its short, wedge-shaped bill helps it probe leaf litter and mossy tangles for invertebrates. Often detected by voice before sight, it may join mixed-species flocks in cool montane forests.
Temperament
secretive and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between dense cover
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs, sometimes in small family groups. Often associates with mixed-species flocks while foraging low in the understory. Breeding is presumed monogamous with nests placed low in dense vegetation; breeding season typically in spring to early summer in the Himalayas.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a clear, whistled series of notes, often delivered in measured phrases that carry through forest understory. Calls include sharp tchik and soft contact notes; pairs may duet.
