The tawny-breasted wren-babbler is a species of bird in the family Timaliidae. It is endemic to the Khasi Hills of Northeast India.
Region
Northeast India
Typical Environment
Restricted to the Khasi Hills, inhabiting subtropical montane evergreen and semi-evergreen forests with dense undergrowth. It favors shaded ravines, bamboo brakes, and thickets along streams and forest edges. The species keeps to the lower strata, often in tangled vegetation and among mossy logs. It tolerates some secondary growth if dense cover is present, but avoids heavily degraded or open areas.
Altitude Range
900–1900 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This elusive understory bird is confined to the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, India, where it is most often detected by its clear whistled song rather than by sight. It forages close to the ground in dense, mossy thickets and bamboo, moving mouse-like through cover. Habitat loss and fragmentation in its tiny range are the primary threats. Careful listening at dawn is the best way to locate it.
Temperament
skulking and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, usually low and brief
Social Behavior
Typically found singly, in pairs, or small family groups, moving quietly through dense cover. Nests are placed low in vegetation or near the ground and are well concealed. Breeding behavior is poorly known, but pairs defend small territories during the breeding season.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A clear, whistled series of notes delivered from concealed perches, often repeated in short phrases. Calls include thin, high-pitched chips used to maintain contact in dense foliage.
