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White-crested
Laughingthrush
Garrulax leucolophus
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 Appearance
One of the larger babblers,
the white-crested laughingthrush has an erectile crest
on its white head, a white throat and breast and characteristic
black masklike markings on its head. There are several
races within the range, which may differ slightly
in the shade of the darker areas of plumage. Size:
30.5 cm (12 in) |
Description
Like most laughingthrushes,
they are sociable birds, which move in small flocks,
foraging in the undergrowth and on the ground. The
laughingthrushes seem to prefer densely vegetated
areas, and birds in the flock communicate by chattering
calls, often followed by wild, cackling sounds, which
resemble laughter and are the origin of the common
name. |
Regions
Himalayas, S.W. China, S.E.
Asia, W. Sumatra in forest |
Diet
Insects, berries and seeds are
their main foods, but they take nectar and small reptiles
as well. Large items of prey are held down with the
foot while being torn to pieces with the bill. |
Breeding
The nest is well hidden in a
low tree or bush. It is cup shaped and made of grass,
bamboo leaves, roots and moss, all bound together
with tendrils of vine and lined with rootlets. The
female lays 3 to 6 eggs, usually 4, and both parents
incubate the clutch for about 14 days. The chestnut-winged
cuckoo, Clamator coromandus, is known to lay its eggs
in the nest of the white-crested laughingthrush, making
it an unwitting foster parent. |
 Status
Wildlife Protection of Thailand,
Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act 1992 |
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