The slender-billed babbler is a species of bird in the family Leiothrichidae. It is found in Bangladesh, Nepal, Northeast India and possibly Myanmar. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Region
Eastern Indian Subcontinent
Typical Environment
Occurs patchily across northeastern India (notably Assam and North Bengal), southern Nepal’s Terai, Bangladesh, and possibly western Myanmar. It favors extensive tracts of tall, wet alluvial grasslands and reedbeds along large rivers and floodplains. Typical stands include Saccharum, Phragmites, and Imperata with scattered shrubs. It keeps close to the ground within dense cover and uses river islands and marsh edges. Habitat continuity is crucial; fragmentation greatly reduces local occurrence.
Altitude Range
0–300 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This elusive grassland babbler keeps low in dense reeds and tall riverine grasses, making it far easier to hear than to see. It relies on seasonally flooded alluvial plains, especially along the Terai and Brahmaputra systems. Ongoing loss and fragmentation of tall grasslands is its primary threat. The species has been placed in the genus Argya following recent taxonomic revisions.
Slender-billed Babbler at Manas National Park, Assam, India
Temperament
secretive but social
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats low over vegetation
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small family parties moving through dense grass, keeping in contact with soft calls. Nests are placed low in thick vegetation, where both parents attend the young. Likely shows cooperative tendencies typical of many babblers, though it remains inconspicuous while breeding.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Calls are chatty and scolding, with churring and ticking notes given from cover. The song is a series of harsh, bubbling phrases interspersed with sharp chips, often delivered antiphonally within a group.
Plumage
Warm brown upperparts with a slightly paler, diffusely streaked throat and breast; underparts buffy to grey-buff. The tail is long and graduated, often flicked while moving through grasses. Overall appearance is plain but with subtle streaking on the throat and fine feathering around the face.
Diet
Feeds mainly on insects and other small invertebrates such as beetles, grasshoppers, spiders, and larvae. It occasionally supplements with seeds and small berries. Foraging is done by gleaning and probing among stems, leaf litter, and tussocks within dense grasses.
Preferred Environment
Forages near the ground in tall riverine grasslands, reedbeds, and marsh edges. Often uses floodplain islands and early successional alluvial habitats with dense cover.
