Mount Victoria Babax Pterorhinus woodi Scientific name definitions

22·5–26 cm. A heavily streaked babbler with black moustachial. Adult has forehead to nape rufescent with heavy broad blackish streaking, lores, supercilium  and area around eye dirty buffish white with variable brown streaking; bold black submoustachial stripe; lower and rear ear-coverts, neck-side and upperparts rufescent, all with long, broad black streaks having pale buff-grey edges; upperwing and tail dull pale brown, shorter outer rectrices with buffish-white outer webs; chin, throat and underparts whitish to creamy white, throat with narrow dark shaft-streaks, underparts with broad bold darker-centred brownish streaking; iris white to pale yellow; bill blackish to horn-coloured; legs horn-grey to grey. Sexes similar. Juvenile is more buffish overall, with streaking less distinct.

Until recently considered conspecific with P. lanceolatus, with arguments for and against (1 Rasmussen, P. C., and J. C. Anderton (2005). Birds of South Asia: the Ripley Guide. Volumes 1 and 2. Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Edicions, Washington, DC, USA, and Barcelona, Spain. Close , 2 Collar, N. J. (2006). A partial revision of the Asian babblers (Timaliidae). Forktail 22:85–112. Close ); split now accepted here based in part on new vocal analysis, present species differing in its bolder-patterned crown (2); black vs dark chestnut submoustachial stripe (1); fuller, darker-centred streaking on lower underparts (1); somewhat longer bill (allow 1) but slightly shorter tail (allow 1) (sample sizes small but pattern constant for both sexes); “different” voice (as reported by many observers), tentatively assessed here on small available sample as involving a greater number of notes per song phrase (2) and more complex note shape (1) (3 Boesman, P. (2016). Notes on the vocalizations of Chinese Babax (Babax lanceolatus). HBW Alive Ornithological Note 275. In: Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. Close ). Monotypic.

NE India (Lushai Hills in SE Mizoram) and W Myanmar (Chin Hills).

Sings with loud, full, clear, whistled “pu-i” or “tchu-wi” phrases, “pu-i, pu-i, pu-i, pu-i, pu-i, pu-i”, sometimes hurried to “pui-pui-pui-pui…”, also as a short, clear, musical, whistled “fiyúwhéét!” (“whéét” higher and louder), sometimes shortened slightly to “fyúwhéét!” or lengthened to “fi-yúwhééah”; seems to sing mainly in asynchronuous duet (or in group) with notes often overlapping in time. Calls with quiet chuntering “witchawitcha–witcha-wit” and single “whit” notes when on the move; also, a grouchy “jhu-wit!”, and short, excited, chattery rattles, “jwitititit”, of variable tempo.

Apr–Jun. Nest a loose but well-defined open cup made from dead bamboo and other leaves, grass stems, weed stalks and bits of fern, lined with rootlets, fine root fibres, tendrils, grass stems and moss, placed low down in low thorn or other bush (including tea), brambles or sapling. Clutch usually 3–4 eggs (occasionally two or up to six), deep blue to pure turquoise. Presumably parasitized by Large Hawk-cuckoo (Hierococcyx sparverioides) like formerly conspecific P. lanceolatus. No other information.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Locally common in NE India; generally rather uncommon in W Myanmar. This species’ global population size has not been quantified, but it appears to be reasonably stable; there is no evidence of any significant decline in its numbers, and no substantial threats have been identified. In NE India, it occurs in Phawngpui (Blue Mountain) National Park, close to the Myanmar border, at least formerly (there have been no recent sightings reported); in W Myanmar it is fairly common in Natmautaung National Park (Mt Victoria).