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Leiothrichidae
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Trochalopteron
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Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush Trochalopteron erythrocephalum Scientific name definitions

Nigel Collar and Craig Robson
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated August 8, 2013

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Field Identification

24–26 cm; 65–90 g. Medium-sized, olive-grey laughingthrush with chestnut crown, black throat, heavy black scaling on mantle and light black scaling on breast, golden-olive wing fringing. Nominate race has crown and nape chestnut with indistinct pale shaft streaks, mantle and neck side olive-grey with bold black semi-circular markings, back to rump and tail plain olive-grey; greater upperwing-coverts broadly tipped chestnut, rufous patch at base of outer secondaries, silvery-yellowish fringes on outer primaries; lores blackish, ear-coverts pale chestnut with blackish streaks and very narrow pale scaling, submoustachial area, chin and throat blackish; underparts buffy olive-grey, slight rufous stain on central upper breast, and sparse and irregular small blackish semi-circles on breast and upper flanks, lower flanks and vent darker, dirtier olive-grey; iris grey or greyish-hazel to dark greyish-brown, sometimes pale yellow; bill blackish-brown to black; legs brownish-flesh to horn-brown. Sexes similar. Juvenile is duller on crown than adult, with warmer-tinged upperparts and no dark scaling. Race kali is darker and browner generally above, darker on head side, duller below, with larger spotting above and below; nigrimentum has crown dark grey with broad black streaks, chestnut only on nape, otherwise like previous but much richer rufous throughout underparts and on back and scapulars.

Systematics History

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Until recently regarded as conspecific with T. chrysopterum, T. melanostigma, T. peninsulae and even T. ngoclinhense; race woodi of T. chrysopterum was initially retained in present species. Races kali and nigrimentum intergrade, but latter is highly distinct and situation merits further research, although vocal differences apparently minor based on available recordings. Proposed race imprudens (from hills of Assam N & E of R Brahmaputra) is indistinguishable from latter. Three subspecies recognized.

Subspecies

SUBSPECIES

Trochalopteron erythrocephalum erythrocephalum Scientific name definitions

Trochalopteron erythrocephalum erythrocephalum
T. e. erythrocephalum

Distribution

W Himachal Pradesh E to Uttarakhand, in N India.
SUBSPECIES

Trochalopteron erythrocephalum kali Scientific name definitions

Distribution

W and C Nepal.
SUBSPECIES

Trochalopteron erythrocephalum nigrimentum Scientific name definitions

Trochalopteron erythrocephalum nigrimentum
T. e. nigrimentum

Distribution

E Nepal E to Bhutan and NE India (Arunachal Pradesh, N Assam) and adjacent SE Tibet.

Distribution

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Habitat

Understorey, dense undergrowth and bamboo in broadleaf evergreen, pine and mixed forests, dwarf rhododendron, brambles (Rubus) and barberry (Berberis) scrub in gulleys and bordering cultivation (near forest), also scrub and grass near forest. Found at 1100–3500 m, mostly 1800–3400 m, some descending as low as 600 m (rarely 300 m) during winter; summer range in Bhutan 1600–3400 m, coinciding with distribution of cool broadleaf forest (above which replaced by T. affine).

Movement

Resident; minor altitudinal displacements in Bhutan, where lowest elevations reached Nov–Feb, followed by gradual upslope movement Mar–May.

Diet and Foraging

Insects, including beetles (Coleoptera), flies (Diptera) and ants (Formicidae) and their larvae and pupae, snails, leeches; also berries, seeds, laurel flowers and other vegetable matter, including certain vervains (Clerodendron) and ginsengs (Heptapleurum). Mostly animal matter in spring and summer. Typically found in parties of 4–8 individuals, sometimes in larger groups up to 30, outside breeding season; occasionally in company with other laughingthrushes. Forages in low cover or on ground, where it digs and rummages among leaf litter; sometimes at medium heights in lichen-covered and moss-covered trees, less often high up in trees. Rather shy, but confiding near human habitation.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Songs of nominate race described as quick, clear, wiry, emphatic, and consisting of 1–2 strongly upslurred and then downslurred, connected notes, usually with second note much longer and higher, “fuwéerwhééyér” and “fwhééoo-whééét!”, of nigrimentum a loud, high, far-carrying, slightly rising “wi-eeoo” or “wieeoo” (also as “fu-wéééeyúr” and more even “fuúwéééer”); answering notes of presumed females include peevish “fwééér-fúrt-fúrt” (first note prolonged and steeply rising, rest shorter, falling off), nominate also a “fuwéééér-furt”. Calls include irregularly uttered low, grunting, sputtering, churring “gnrsh, gnrsh…”, or similar but drier, flat, rasping, “krssh”; a higher-intensity series of short, metallic, grating, upslurred “kr’r’r’reep!, kr’r’r’reep!”; in chorus, above notes are mixed with occasional high short squeals.

Breeding

Apr–Oct. Nest a substantial, rather neat, deep cup, made of dead leaves, dry grasses, fern fronds, fine twigs, creepers, herb stems, moss, and clubmoss (Selaginella) sprays, lined scantily with moss roots, rootlets and fine grasses (sometimes unlined), placed 0·9–5·5 m above ground in bush or shrub, in fork of sapling or on tree branch. Clutch 2–4 eggs, slightly greenish-tinged pale blue, usually sparsely marked with maroon to deep chocolate blotches, spots, streaks and scrawls over a few pale purple or purplish-brown undermarkings. No information on incubation and nestling periods. Brood parasitism by Jacobin Cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus) and hawk-cuckoos (Cuculus) apparently common.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern
Not assessed. Generally common. Extinct in Pakistan, where one 19th-century record. Common and fairly widespread in Nepal. Abundant throughout temperate zone in Bhutan. In India, locally frequent in W Himalayas, becoming commoner farther E; present in Buxa Tiger Reserve, in West Bengal, and in and/or near Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, in Arunachal Pradesh.
Distribution of the Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush - Range Map
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  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush

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Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush, Abundance map
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Data provided by eBird

Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush

Trochalopteron erythrocephalum

Abundance

Relative abundance is depicted for each season along a color gradient from a light color indicating lower relative abundance to a dark color indicating a higher relative abundance. Relative abundance is the estimated average count of individuals detected by an eBirder during a 1 hour, 1 kilometer traveling checklist at the optimal time of day for each species.   Learn more about this data

Relative abundance
Year-round
0.27
0.64
1.1
Modeled area
(0 abundance)
No prediction
Learn more about predictions

eBird data from -. Estimated for .

Fink, D., T. Auer, A. Johnston, M. Strimas-Mackey, S. Ligocki, O. Robinson, W. Hochachka, L. Jaromczyk, A. Rodewald, C. Wood, I. Davies, A. Spencer. 2022. eBird Status and Trends, Data Version: 2021; Released: 2022. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. https://doi.org/10.2173/ebirdst.2021

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Recommended Citation

Collar, N. and C. Robson (2020). Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush (Trochalopteron erythrocephalum), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.chclau2.01
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