Palani Laughingthrush

Overview

The Palani Laughingthrush (Montecincla fairbanki) is a Near Threatened species of laughingthrush endemic to the high montane forests of the Western Ghats in southern India. Found primarily in the Palani Hills and extending into the Annamalai Hills and Munnar, it is distinguished from closely related forms by its distinct grey upper breast and absence of a black chin.

Identification

• Grey-brown crown with a narrow dark eyestripe and a broad white supercilium that extends behind the eye.
• Distinctly grey throat and faintly streaked upper breast, contrasting with a rusty brown belly and olive-brown upper parts.
• Bill is brownish rather than the dark grey seen in related black-chinned species.
• Vocalisations include loud, steeply ascending 'pee-koko' calls and low 'kweer' notes, often performed as antiphonal duets.

Habitat

Restricted to high montane forests above 1,100 metres (3,600 ft) south of the Palghat Gap in the Western Ghats. The main range covers the Palani Hills, extending into the Annamalai Hills in western Tamil Nadu and Munnar in Kerala.

Diet

Feeds on the nectar of Lobelia excelsa, Rhododendron and Strobilanthes, as well as flower petals and fruits from plants such as Viburnum, Eurya, Rubus and Rhodomyrtus tomentosa. They forage in pairs, small groups, or mixed-species feeding flocks.

Did you know?

These birds exhibit aggressive anti-predation behaviour by destroying their own nests after the young fledge or after predation, and they may even tear up the nests of other birds in the vicinity.