Wayanad Laughingthrush

Overview

The Wayanad laughingthrush (Pterorhinus delesserti) is a species of laughingthrush endemic to the Western Ghats south of Goa in India. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Dark brownish-grey upperparts with a uniform tail that is darker than the back.
• A broad black mask through the eye, a white throat, and a grey breast.
• Rufous belly and underside.
• A heavy bill featuring a pale yellow lower mandible.
• Loud vocalisations including shrill chattering, cackling, churring, and chirping notes.

Habitat

The species inhabits subtropical or tropical moist forests, with breeding recorded from the plains to higher hills. It is patchily distributed south of Goa, ranging from areas near Karwar and Dandeli in the north to the Ashambu hills in the south.

Diet

They feed mainly on the ground, turning over leaves to find insects, fallen seeds, and berries. The species is extremely gregarious, typically moving in groups that range from six to fifteen birds, though flocks of up to forty have been observed.

Did you know?

The eggs of this species are very spherical and white rather than blue, a distinctive trait shared with only a few other laughingthrushes such as the white-crested laughingthrush. Despite being named after the Wayanad region, its range is actually wider than that of the other four south Indian laughingthrush species.