White-crested Laughingthrush

Overview

The white-crested laughingthrush (Garrulax leucolophus) is a highly social and vocal bird belonging to the family Leiothrichidae. It is characterised by a wide distribution across forest and scrub habitats in South and Southeast Asia.

Identification

• Stocky build with voluminous plumage, averaging 30 cm in body length with a rounded tail.
• Distinctive white hood and raised crest contrasting with a broad, elongated black eye-mask.
• Rufescent mantle, back, and underparts from the lower breast, fading to darker olive-brown on the tail and upper wings, with a light grey nape.
• Strong blackish legs and bill; females possess a smaller crest and duller mantle than males.

Habitat

Native to India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, China, Vietnam, and Thailand, the species inhabits foothill forests up to 1,600 m elevation. It favours dense, moist, and shady thickets, scrubs, and the understory of broadleaved secondary forests, often utilising bamboo for nesting substrate. The species has also established introduced populations in Malaysia and Singapore, where it thrives in parks, gardens, and degraded forests.

Diet

This omnivorous and opportunistic species subsists mostly on invertebrates such as beetles, spiders, flies, caterpillars, snails, and leeches, but also consumes fruits, seeds, nectar, and small reptiles like snakes and lizards. It forages on the ground in small parties, hopping from place to place and tossing leaf litter aside with its beak to uncover prey.

Did you know?

In Singapore, the species has become a successful invasive species, potentially displacing native ground-foraging birds like Abbott's babbler. Observers have noted individuals picking at human food and garbage, with some even soliciting scraps from people.