Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush Pterorhinus pectoralis Scientific name definitions

26·5–34·5 cm; 105–170 g. Very like Garrulax monileger, but larger, eye dark, necklace often bolder, dark primary coverts. Nominate race has crown and upperparts olive-tinged mid-brown, hindcollar and upper mantle rufescent, wing fringes and central tail feathers as upperparts but outer primaries fringed greyer, primary coverts darker than rest of wing, outer tail feathers blackish-brown distally with broad white tips; lores and side of forehead whitish to buff, narrow whitish postocular supercilium from eye to above rear of ear-coverts; ear-coverts whitish, variably streaked dark greyish (to almost entirely black), black eyestripe and moustachial stripe meeting on neck side and extending thence as broad black band down breast side and across breast (prominent necklace), narrowest at mid-breast; chin to upper breast pale buffy whitish, area below necklace whitish, with rufous wash on flanks and vent; partial albinos recorded; iris brown to crimson, orbital skin golden-yellow to yellowish-green; bill blackish, greyer basal half of lower mandible; legs slate-grey to horn-green. Sexes similar. Juvenile is warmer above and sometimes also on wings than adult, often with pale tips and fringes of primary coverts, and has necklace duller or less distinct, eyering duller. Race subfusus is paler and greyer-tinged above than nominate, with hindcollar narrower and paler, necklace narrower, underparts more uniform pale rufescent buff, tail with buff-tinged tips; robini is smaller, with slightly darker, richer upperparts, hindcollar narrower and more rufous-chestnut, necklace very narrow or broken in centre, lower breast and belly uniform rufescent buff; picticollis resembles robini in size and upperpart colour, but hindcollar much broader and more rufous-chestnut, more prominent whitish lores extending over and under eye, black on neck side tipped greyish and that on necklace tipped buff; semitorquatus is smallest, like nominate above but washed more olive, hindcollar narrow and rather weak, necklace variably broken in centre, underparts whitish to very pale buffy white, tail tips deep buff.

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.

Nominate race introduced to Hawaii (Kauai) (1 Lever, C. (2005). Naturalised Birds of the World. T. & A.D. Poyser, London. Close ).

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SUBSPECIES

Pterorhinus pectoralis pectoralis Scientific name definitions

Distribution

Himalayas of Nepal to s China (s Yunnan w of the Mekong R.)

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SUBSPECIES

Pterorhinus pectoralis subfusus Scientific name definitions

Distribution

SE Myanmar (including N Tenasserim) and NW and W Thailand.

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SUBSPECIES

Pterorhinus pectoralis robini Scientific name definitions

Distribution

extreme E Myanmar, S China (S Yunnan), N and C Laos and N Vietnam (Tonkin, N Annam).

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SUBSPECIES

Pterorhinus pectoralis picticollis Scientific name definitions

Distribution

EC, E and SE China (E Gansu and C and S Shaanxi E to N Hubei, S Jiangsu and NE Zhejiang, S to C Guizhou, Guangxi and Guangdong).

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SUBSPECIES

Pterorhinus pectoralis semitorquatus Scientific name definitions

Distribution

Hainan.

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.

Broadleaf evergreen forest, mixed deciduous forest and mixed broadleaf-coniferous forest, secondary growth, cut-over scrub, bamboo, plantations; in parts of Laos found in Fokienia-dominated forest and semi-evergreen forest. To 1830 m; in Bhutan once at 2000 m.

Resident.

Mostly insects; also some fruits. In Hong Kong study, of ten faecal samples Aug–May, seven contained insects, and all contained fruit (at least 16 plant taxa being utilized). Gregarious in flocks of 5–15 or, sometimes, up to 25 individuals, often in association with Garrulax leucolophus and Garrulax monileger or other laughingthrushes where ranges overlap; associates also with Common Green Magpie (Cissa chinensis) and Greater Racquet-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus), and sometimes kleptoparasitized by latter. Forages mainly on forest floor ; sometimes moves up to middle storey.

Apparent song  types include repeated, clear, ringing, slightly descending and diminishing sequence, “kléér-éér-éér-éér-eer(…)” or just “kléér-éér”, and sequence of alternating upslurred mellow whistles, “tu-twéétu-twéétu-twéé…”. Mixed series of loud, quavering, nervous “wee’i’i”, “wee’u” and “wee’ee’u” phrases. Calls include clear, rapid, nervous “chit-it(-it-it)”, louder and less mellow than peeping calls of Garrulax monileger; also, variety of short nasal churring calls, and low, gruff contact notes.

Feb–Aug; multi-brooded. Nest a large, broad, bulky, rather shallow cup or saucer, made of dead bamboo or other leaves, roots, moss, bracken, grasses, twigs, sticks, weed stems, creeper stems and tendrils, lined with rootlets, fine grass stems, fine twigs and tendrils, placed in bush, small tree or bamboo clump, sometimes among grass, from almost ground level to 6 m up. Clutch 3–7 eggs (usually 4 in India and Myanmar), bright or deep blue to pale greenish-blue. No information on incubation and nestling periods. Brood parasitism by Chestnut-winged Cuckoo (Clamator coromandus) occurs.

Not globally threatened. Local and uncommon in Nepal, becoming more frequent farther E. Occasionally recorded resident in foothills and C & E valleys in Bhutan, and present in Thrumshingla National Park. Frequent in India, where common in Nameri National Park (Assam), and present elsewhere in NE India in (at least) Buxa Tiger Reserve, in West Bengal, where as many as 25 birds/km² in monoculture plantation, also Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary and Namdapha and Mouling National Parks, all in Arunachal Pradesh, Balphakram National Park, in Meghalaya, Barail Reserve Forest and Kaziranga National Park (common in latter), in Assam, and Ngengpui Wildlife Sanctuary and Dampa Tiger Reserve, in Mizoram. Fairly common and sometimes abundant in S China, where recorded in 19 (35%) of 54 surveyed sites (of which 52 are nature reserves); widespread but sparse population in Hong Kong of captive origin. Generally uncommon to common in SE Asian range. Present in Kaeng Krachan National Park, in Thailand. Present in the Nakai-Nam Theun National Biodiversity Conservation Area (NBCA) and in Phou Dendin NBCA, in Laos. Fairly common in Tam Dao National Park, and present in three protected areas in the Annamese lowlands, in Vietnam.