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Red-winged Laughingthrush Trochalopteron formosum Scientific name definitions

Nigel Collar and Craig Robson
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated January 1, 2007

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Field Identification

27–28 cm; 83–106 g. Fairly large, dull rufous-brown laughingthrush with silvery grey and black on head and crimson fringing on wings and uppertail; crown feathers elongate and pointed. Nominate race has crown feathers blackish with broad silvery-grey edges (forming uneven streaks), shading to dull darkish rufous-brown on nape, neck side, scapulars and back, rump darker and more olive; upperwing blackish-brown with crimson primary coverts and broad fringing, tail crimson centrally, outer rectrices crimson on outer webs and blackish-brown on inner ones; bristly lores black, black extending over eye in vague supercilium and continuing around ear-coverts, ear-coverts blackish with broad silvery-grey streaks, submoustachial area blackish with indistinct silver-grey flecks; chin, throat, lower neck side and breast matt black, becoming slightly scaly on lower breast, with transition to dull darkish rufous-brown on belly, which itself becomes more olive and then sootier towards vent; iris brown; bill black; legs dark brown to dark grey. Distinguished from similar T. milnei mainly by lack of chestnut crown and lack of whitish ear-coverts. Sexes similar. Juvenile is like adult. Race greenwayi is dull olive where nominate dull rufous-brown, has breast less extensively black, more dark-scaled with silvery edges.

Systematics History

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.

Birds observed in N Guangxi of unknown race; presumably belong with nominate. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies

SUBSPECIES

Trochalopteron formosum formosum Scientific name definitions

Distribution

N and C Sichuan and extreme NE Yunnan, and NW Guizhou, in SC and S China.
SUBSPECIES

Trochalopteron formosum greenwayi Scientific name definitions

Trochalopteron formosum greenwayi
T. f. greenwayi

Distribution

S China (SE Yunnan, SW Guangxi) and N Vietnam (W Tonkin).

Distribution

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.

Habitat

Broadleaf evergreen forest, secondary growth and scrub near forest, including prickly oak (Quercus), and bamboo; at 900–3150 m, but in Vietnam not recorded below 2400 m.

Movement

Resident. Irregular, minor, local altitudinal movements, particularly during heavy snowfall, considered possible.

Diet and Foraging

No information on diet; presumably invertebrates and some vegetable matter. Usually forages in pairs or small parties, on or close to ground; also ascends to 4–5 m in small trees. Shy and skulking.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Song consists of repeated loud, rather thin, clear whistled phrases, “chu-weewu” or slightly rising “chiu-wee”. Possible duets (perhaps intra-sex) include “chiu-wee—u-weeoo” (second part rising slightly in middle) and “u-weeoo—wueeoo” (second part quickly delivered). Also a louder “wu-eeoo”.

Breeding

Jun–Jul. Young fed by both sexes. No other information.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern
Not globally threatened. Formerly considered Near-threatened. Restricted-range species: present in Central Sichuan Mountains EBA and Fan Si Pan and Northern Laos Secondary Area. Rare in China, but fairly common at Emei Shan Protected Scenic Area, in Sichuan. Scarce at high levels in Fan Si Pan National Park, in Vietnam.
Distribution of the Red-winged Laughingthrush - Range Map
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  • Migration
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  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Red-winged Laughingthrush

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Collar, N. and C. Robson (2020). Red-winged Laughingthrush (Trochalopteron formosum), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.rewlau1.01
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