Gray Laughingthrush Garrulax maesi Scientific name definitions

28–30·5 cm; 107–118 g. Plain dull grey laughingthrush with black face, white behind ear-coverts and dull brownish breast. Forehead and narrow superciliary crown-line are pale grey to whitish-grey, becoming white on rear crown-line, which joins with white of nape side and neck side behind pale grey ear-coverts ; rest of crown and upperparts mid-grey with slight brown tinge, rump and uppertail-coverts slightly browner, upperwing and tail darker and browner; bristly lores, short supercilium, cheek and area below (to just behind) eye and chin blackish, forming continuous mask encircling eye and just over top of bill base; lower throat and upper breast buffy greyish-brown with paler fringes (faint scaly appearance), lower breast to vent slightly paler grey than upperparts, lower flanks and undertail-coverts as rump; iris brown to red-brown; bill black; legs greyish. Sexes similar. Juvenile has upperparts mixed with brown, throat and breast grey-brown.

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SE China (SC Sichuan, extreme NE & SE Yunnan, N & SE Guizhou, Guangxi, N Guangdong) and N Vietnam (NW & E Tonkin).

Broadleaf evergreen forest , at 380–1700 m.

Resident.

No information on diet. Always in flocks of up to ten or more individuals; sometimes in association with bird waves, which may include other laughingthrushes such as G. chinensis. Relatively shy and unobtrusive (apart from loud vocalizations). Feeds mainly among leaf litter on ground, but climbs up to investigate danger; flocks move through lower to middle storeys before descending to ground to feed.

Sudden outbursts of extended, very loud cackling laughter  , typically involving combination of rapid chattering and repeated double-note phrases, often preceded by a few subdued “ow” notes; very similar to that of G.castanotis and G. milleti.

Apr–May in China. No other information.

Not assessed. Moderately common in S China, where recorded in 12 (22%) of 54 sites surveyed, 52 of which are nature reserves; these include Shiwandashan National Nature Reserve, where common, and Diding Nature Reserve, where uncommon. Locally common in N Vietnam, where present in Na Hang Nature Reserve and common in Tam Dao National Park.