Buffy Laughingthrush Pterorhinus berthemyi Scientific name definitions

27–29 cm; 80–100 g. Medium-sized black-masked laughingthrush in beautiful soft colours, pale ochrous-brown above and on breast, with rufous-chestnut wings and tail, mid-grey on lower underparts. Crown to scapulars and rump are pale ochrous-brown, upperwing rufous-chestnut on outer vanes, mid-brown on inner webs, tail chestnut-rufous with white tips on outer feathers; lores and area around base of bill to chin bristly and black, with tuft of narrow black-tipped whitish feathers on ear-coverts; throat and neck side to mid-breast pale ochrous-brown (slightly paler than upperparts), lower breast and flanks to belly and thighs mid-grey, vent white; iris grey or brown with blue outer ring, orbital skin blue; bill black, yellow tip; legs yellowish-slate. Sexes similar. Juvenile is generally duller than adult, crown plainer, less obvious white tail tips.

See comments under P. caerulatus. Until recently, present species normally lumped with P. poecilorhynchus. NW Yunnan population (E of R Mekong) named as a race, ricinus, but not fully diagnosable. Monotypic.

Presumably invertebrates and vegetable matter. Forages in pairs or small flocks in undergrowth and understorey. Typically keeps well to ground and underbrush, but also ascends to middle storey.