Pin-striped Tit-Babbler Mixornis gularis Scientific name definitions

11–14 cm; 10–14 g. Small, strong-billed babbler, brown above with chestnut crown, pale yellow below with narrow black breast streaks. Nominate race has crown dull chestnut, paler on nape, and slightly paler rufescent-brown upperparts, upperwing and tail; lores buffy, shading to grey-tinged pale yellow on supercilium and ear-coverts, these divided by narrow brownish eyestripe; chin, throat, submoustachial area and breast pale yellow with sparse long blackish shaft streaks, belly pale yellow, flanks, thighs and vent washed olive; iris yellowish-white to greyish-brown, orbital skin bluish-lead; bill slaty, lower mandible paler; legs pale greyish-olive. Sexes similar. Juvenile is whiter below than adult, with weaker streaking. Race connectens differs from nominate in being slightly more olive above, with stronger yellow supercilium and slightly weaker breast streaks; versuricola is similar to previous but slightly larger, and darker above, more heavily streaked on lower underparts, with darker, greyer flanks; inveteratus is also similar but larger, paler and less rufescent above; condorensis is also similar, but forecrown more chestnut, upperparts darker; archipelagicus is also larger, paler and more greyish above, paler on flanks; chersonesophilus is likewise larger, darker above, flanks darker, with broader streaks on throat (roughly intermediate between nominate and condorensis); rubicapilla is much paler and more olive above than nominate, crown tinged rufous, wings and tail pale olive-brown, supercilium and ear-coverts pale yellow, breast streaks weaker; ticehursti is similar to last, but cap more rufous, underparts more extensively yellow; sulphureus is brighter yellow on face to breast, breast streaks finer; lutescens is brighter yellow still, with darker olive tinge on flanks, slightly darker cap, darker mantle; kinneari resembles previous but slightly more rufescent above, slightly bolder breast stripes; saraburiensis differs from lutescens in duller crown, paler mantle, from sulphureus in duller and darker crown and mantle, from both in having greyer wash on flanks; woodi is distinctive, differs from nominate in having crown chestnut-greyish, face greyish, mantle, back and scapulars dark greyish, underparts much paler, breast streaks almost absent.

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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.

Bushes and undergrowth in open broadleaf evergreen, deciduous and semi-evergreen forest, bushes and scrub on forest edge, logged areas, bamboo, long grass and brushwood; also swamp-forest, plantations, gardens, coastal scrub; locally mangroves and associated transitional habitats, e.g. in S Bangladesh (Sundarbans). Occurs at up to 1000 m in Indian Subcontinent and China; usually only to 800 m in Bhutan, with one record at 1800 m; to 1525 m in SE Asia and Palawan.

Resident.

Insects, including small beetles (Coleoptera), caterpillars, ants (Formicidae), grasshoppers (Orthoptera), also spiders (Araneae); also some fruit. Parties of up to twelve or more individuals; singly or in pairs during breeding season. Often in mixed company with other species, including other small babblers. Forages usually near ground but climbs vine-laden trees, often 6–9 m above ground; occasionally feeds on ground. Creeps and clambers about in a more unobtrusive manner than do many Stachyris and Stachyridopsis babblers.

Song varies somewhat. In N Vietnam repeated loud clear bouncing “ti chut-chutut-chut” or “tit-chutut-chutut-chutut…”, in C Annam and Thailand an even, well-spaced series of 4–5 notes, “chut-chut-chut-chut-chut” (or with longer interval after first note), in Indian Subcontinent a loud, repetitive series of identical percussive notes, “chaunk-chaunk-chaunk-chaunk…”, reminiscent of a tailorbird (Orthotomus); Palawan race woodi has an even, monotonous, weak, flat series of 5–27 bell-like “chu” or “choh” notes, repeated every 1–2 seconds, with occasional odd notes given between full bouts. Typical calls include harsh “chrrrt-chrr”, “chrrrt-chrr-chrri” and “tititit-chrreeoo”; call of woodi a low grumbling “cht’tt’tt’tt’ut’ut’…”; scolding “tseep” given once per second when mobbing Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris).

Feb–Jul generally; Dec–Aug in Peninsular Malaysia; nest and egg in Apr, dependent young in mid-Aug and mid-Oct, and nest-building in Sept in Sumatra; breeding-condition birds in Apr and May and nest in Jun in Philippines (Palawan). Nest, built by both sexes, a ball or rough dome, entrance at front or side (often near top), made of dead bamboo, bark strips or other leaves, grasses, palm strands, debris and plant fibres, sparsely lined with fine grasses, fine stalks, fine fibrous rootlets and fibres (or unlined), placed 0·3–3 m (sometimes to 4·6 m) above ground in bush, stemless palm, bamboo clump, hedge, pineapple plant, among ferns or other low vegetation, among mass of vines or mass of orchids hanging from tree, or on overgrown stump. Clutch 2–5 eggs (usually 3–4 in India and Myanmar, 2–3 in S regions and Palawan), white to dull white (sometimes with very faint pinkish tinge) with small blotches and specks of purplish-brown to yellowish-brown and/or brick-red. No information on incubation and nestling periods.

Not globally threatened. Generally common across range. Frequent from W to C Nepal, common E from C Nepal. Frequently recorded in foothills of Bhutan, most regularly in E above Samdrup Jongkha, with up to 35 recorded per day. Common in India: common in Dudwa National Park (Uttar Pradesh), common and widespread in Nameri and Kaziranga National Parks (Assam), common in Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary (Orissa); present in Buxa Tiger Reserve (West Bengal), with 4·4 birds/km² in semi-evergreen forest, 1·1 in mixed plantation/natural forest and 10·8 in hill forest; and present elsewhere in NE India in (at least) Namdapha National Park and Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary (Arunachal Pradesh), Balphakram National Park (Meghalaya), Barail Reserve Forest (Assam) and Dampa Tiger Reserve (Mizoram). Common in Sundarbans East Wildlife Sanctuary, in Bangladesh. Common in China, where recently found in Nonggang National Nature Reserve and Qinglongshan and Chunxiu Nature Reserves (Guangxi). Common in 1920s in Cambodia, and probably commoner today than records suggest. Common throughout Xe Pian National Biodiversity Conservation Area (NBCA), and present in Nam Kading, Xe Bang Nouan, Nakai-Nam Theun, Hin Namno, Phou Xang He, Phou Khaokhoay, Phou Dendin, Phou Xiang Thong and Dong Hua Sao NBCAs, in Laos. In Vietnam, present in Ba Be National Park and Na Hang Nature Reserve (in N) and in Thuong Da Nhim and Chu Yang Sin Nature Reserves (Da Lat Plateau, in S Annam); also in twelve protected areas in the Annamese lowlands. Present in Gunung Leuser National Park and frequent in Way Kambas National Park, in Sumatra; abundant in the now destroyed Padang-Sugihan Wildlife Reserve, also in Sumatra.