White-crested Laughingthrush

About the White-crested Laughingthrush

The white-crested laughingthrush (Garrulax leucolophus) is a member of the family Leiothrichidae. It is a highly social and vocal bird found in forest and scrub from the Himalayan foothills to Southeast Asia. The white-crested laughingthrush is a member of the family Leiothrichidae, recently split from the Old World babbler family, Timaliidae. Its scientific name Garrulax leucolophus comes from Latin garrire "to chatter", in reference to its very vocal nature, and from Greek leukós "white" and lophos "crest".

Four subspecies are identified: G. l. leucolophus or western white-crested laughingthrush, G. l. patkaicus, G. l. belangeri, and G. l. diardi or eastern white-crested laughingthrush. A former subspecies, G. l. bicolor, has been re-classified as a species of its own, the endemic Sumatran laughingthrush, on account of its lack of characteristic rufous plumage, different face pattern, and shorter tail.

Like other birds in its genus, G. leucolophus has a stocky build, with strong blackish legs and bill, rounded tail, and voluminous plumage. Its body length averages 30 cm, and its tail ranges from 13 to 15 cm. It is... Wikipedia →