Spotted laughingthrush

The spotted laughingthrush is a bird species in the family Leiothrichidae. It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

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Distribution

Region

Himalayas and southwestern China

Typical Environment

Occurs from the eastern Himalayas through Bhutan, northeastern India, Nepal, and Myanmar into south-central and southwestern China. It favors dense undergrowth within subtropical and tropical moist montane forests, especially rhododendron, bamboo, and oak-laden slopes. Often kept close to cover, it uses thickets and forest edges to move and feed. In winter it may descend slightly to lower elevations where food is more abundant.

Altitude Range

1500–3600 m

Climate Zone

Highland

Characteristics

Size25–28 cm

Wing Span34–38 cm

Male Weight0.09 kg

Female Weight0.085 kg

Life Expectancy6 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 2/5

Useful to know

Named for its bubbling, chuckling song, the spotted laughingthrush often calls in lively choruses that carry through montane forests. It forages in small groups, frequently joining mixed-species flocks, and is adept at scratching through leaf litter for prey. Birds may shift elevation seasonally, following food and weather within their mountainous range.

Gallery

Behaviour

Temperament

social and skulking

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats, low flights between cover

Social Behavior

Commonly found in pairs or small family groups and frequently joins mixed-species foraging flocks. Nests are cup-shaped and placed low in shrubs or dense tangles. Pairs are monogamous during the breeding season and defend small territories near nest sites.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Rich, laughing phrases delivered in bubbling series, often antiphonal between mates or group members. Calls include clear whistles and chattering notes that can build into lively choruses at dawn and dusk.

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Identification

Leg Colorpinkish-brown

Eye Colordark brown

Plumage

Warm brown plumage densely patterned with round whitish spots (ocelli) across the head, mantle, wings, and underparts; long, graduated tail with paler tips.

Feeding Habits

Diet

Eats a mix of insects and other invertebrates such as beetles, caterpillars, and small snails, along with berries, seeds, and soft fruits. It probes leaf litter and moss, flicking leaves aside with the bill. Seasonal fruiting influences the plant portion of its diet, while invertebrates are taken year-round.

Preferred Environment

Forages on or near the forest floor and in low shrubs within dense montane undergrowth. Uses edges of trails, bamboo patches, and rhododendron thickets where cover is close at hand.

Population

Total Known Populationunknown

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