The white-browed scimitar babbler is a species of bird in the family Timaliidae. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.
Region
South and Southeast Asia
Typical Environment
Occurs from the Himalayan foothills through northeast India and Bangladesh into Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and parts of southern China. It inhabits subtropical and tropical moist lowland and montane forests, often favoring dense thickets, bamboo, and secondary growth. The species keeps close to the ground or mid-understory, using cover to move between foraging patches. It also appears along forest edges and ravines with thick shrub layers.
Altitude Range
0–2500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Named for its long, scythe-like bill, it specializes in probing leaf litter and tangled understory for prey. It is often heard before it is seen, delivering loud, whistled duets between mates. The species commonly joins mixed-species flocks and moves in small, tight-knit parties through dense vegetation.
Temperament
skulking and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats; usually stays low in cover
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs or small family groups and often participates in mixed-species flocks. Pairs maintain territories and communicate with antiphonal duets. Nests are typically placed low, in dense vegetation, with both sexes involved in nesting duties.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Delivers loud, clear, whistled phrases, often in duets where the pair alternates notes rapidly. Calls include sharp chacks and mellow, fluting whistles that carry through forest understory.
Plumage
Warm brown upperparts with paler, buffy underparts and a clean white throat. A bold white supercilium contrasts with a dark eye-stripe, giving a masked look. Feathers appear smooth but slightly shaggy around the throat and face, enhancing the facial pattern.
Diet
Primarily consumes insects and other small invertebrates such as beetles, ants, spiders, and larvae. It uses its curved bill to probe leaf litter, moss, and bamboo sheaths. Occasionally takes small berries or seeds, especially when insect prey is less abundant.
Preferred Environment
Forages within dense understory, bamboo clumps, and thickets along forest edges and streams. Often feeds on or near the ground, working methodically through leaf litter and tangled vegetation.
