Babbler 19/23 - Scaly-crowned Babbler (New 579/688)

 Actually I have shot this babbler before but lost my photo during migration to Blogspot umpteen years ago. This time we were lucky in our recent trip to Rompin forest reserve when a threesome came out to greet us in the middle storey as they responded to our callback. 

It average 15cm in size which is smaller than its sibling Rufous-crowned coming in at 18cm/8 inches. Beside that the different between the two is the rufous crown of the Scaly has black speckle ; its breast is pale white without streak whilst the legs are pale  rather then black.

There are found on lowland broadleaves forest upto 800m feeding and playing at low to middle storey level. The Rufous is more often recorded sighted in lower lying (upto 400m asl) forest jungle.  

Babbler (18/23) - Grey-breasted Babbler Lifer 2025 (578/688)

Opportunity  came in July 2025  when news arrived by Johor birders that a family of Grey breasted babbler (post nesting) were regularly sighted in Panti at one of the many trails there. You definitely need a local birder to guide you to seek this rarity babbler. As far as I have been birding  for 20 years I only know Panti Johor as one site to see this bird in Península abate East Malaysia sighting like at Sabah Poring. 

ID - It is a small to medium-sized bird of  12-15cm. It has Gray-breasted plumage as its name with distinct white throat and underparts. Bill is Slightly curved and slender, suitable for insectivorous diet. Eye color is Dark eyes, often appearing bold whote lore and black face. – Wing and tail: Shorter wings and a relatively long tail, which is often held downward. Typically found in pairs or small groups, often foraging in leaf litter or low shrubs in  dense undergrowth in humid forests or secondary growth areas. It produces a series of soft, melodious notes; listen for its distinctive vocalization.

Photo courtesy of AT

This gray-breasted babbler species stays in the middle storey of virgin lowland forest especially swampy and flooded terrain. In peninsula Malaysia it is found in central Pahang which I always try to search is in Krau Lancang but so far no such sighting. 

Photo courtesy of ML

 
 Like many other babblers they respond to your bird call  but this bird was a bit skittish in our encounter as there too many distraction from other birders also seeking the bird. It is known to mimic the calls of other bird species, which can sometimes confuse predators!
 We got just a window of 20 second or so to shoot in the early morning lighting. My Fuji XT5 failed me as it was not focussing well enough in the low like condition. There were a family of 3 birds we saw during this  post nesting period in July. It's  mimic unique hopping manner and perch on vertical stump branches like forest Wren babbler showcasing their agility and adaptability. 

Babbler 23/27 (Bornean Endemic) Oct2022 - Bornean Black-capped Babbler

 

Here again there is a split in species, but I am not considering as a lifer. The Bornean bird is a distinct  thickset brown babbler with a darker crown, an orange breast, and a bright white throat. North Bornean subspecies has a dark face and thin white eyebrows, absent elsewhere. Scurries about on the forest floor like a rodent, rummaging through leaf litter, either singly or in pairs. Found in lowland and foothill forests. Gives a high, piercing “tse-lee” somewhat akin to nails scratching across a blackboard.

The Bornean black-capped babbler (Pellorneum capistratoides) is a species of bird in the family Pellorneidae. It is found on Borneo. This species, the Javan black-capped babbler (P. capistratum) and the Malayan black-capped babbler (P. nigrocapitatum ) were formerly considered conspecific, but were split from it in 2021. Together they were called the black-capped babbler. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland (Wiki)

Babbler (17/23) Bornean -Temminck's Babbler (Lifer 560/688)

This was a side show bird but nevertheless my lifer to while we waited for the star bird namely Bulwer's Pheasant.

A very plain/drab babbler in colors but the recognisable streaking grey head define this small babbler. It is a babbler of lowland and foothill forests. Can be difficult to see in the shadowy forest floor and dense undergrowth it often forages in; listen for its song, a repetitive series of descending notes: “wi’DEW, wi’DEW!” Calls include a nasal, rising trill. If seen, note the overall warm brown body, white throat, and dark crown. Face color varies, ranging from gray to cinnamon-brown.

 Temminck's babbler (Pellorneum pyrrogenys) is a species of bird in the family Pellorneidae. It is found in Borneo and Java. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.

This bird's common name commemorates the Dutch naturalist Coenraad Jacob Temminck. (Wiki)

BABBLER 22/23 - Abbott's Babbler

Calling my Sifus....Horsfield's, Abbot's or Short tailed..................in the end compared the call recorded by Sifu Khong's its a Abbot's Babbler alrite...... a lifer still. Size about 16.5cm or 7 inches Very broad looking pale whitish chest with rufous vented and side. I have seen pictures by others the belly and chest can turn orangy too.

During my encounter it stays in one tree for a long period of half an hour. Unlike other babblers it tend to sit out on open branches. It continuous give out a three syllable clear sharp call which I recorded .....will attach later. Occasionally It will drop onto the ground and slowly climb up the tree upto 15 ft high. You notice the photos are top up. The bird was on its own. No mate yet for the breeding season. Apparently the nesting period of Abbott's Babbler can starts as early in late January until September as recorded in Thailand. Can also be sighted in KSNP and Taman Negara

The Abbott's Babbler (Malacocincla abbotti) is a SEA bird in the Timaliidae family as it is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The name of the species commemorates William Louis Abbott (1860-1936), American naturalist and collector, who studied the wildlife of the Indo-Malayan region.

BABBLER 20/23 - Puff-throated Babbler

Puff-throated Babbler

 

The Puff-throated Babbler or Spotted Babbler is a species of passerine bird found in Asian region with population variations has led to nearly thirty subspecies being described. In Malaysia it is found in the northern peninsula from Perak upto Perlis. They are found in scrub and moist forest mainly upto 1,800m of hilly regions. It can be heard and seen at plantation fringes. I got my lifer near a rubber estate enroute to Bukit Wang forest reserve. For the matter I got detoured from NS highway exiting early to Kuala Nerang. Then heard the familiar loud and distinct call of the BTB whilst slowing down at a T-junction. It took me almost an hour to locate one of them. Just lucky it turn out that way.

Puff-throated Babblers vocalize often. Their calls are a series of whistling notes ascending in scale - the common call "wi-chu" or "wi-ti -chu" The calling can be persistent. Their repetiore include their morning song, contact and alarm calls so you should have the right playback to lure it out from the undergrowth.

They are gregarious and forage in small groups on the forest floor, turning around leaf litter to find their prey and usually staying low in the undergrowth where they can be hard to spot. Puff-throated Babblers have strong legs, and spend a lot of time on the forest floor. They have weak flight because of their rounded short wings. They can often be seen creeping through undergrowth in search of their insect food, looking at first glance like a Song Thrush. It is considered a common babbler in peninsula.

The breeding season is mainly during the rainy season. They build a nest on the ground at the base of bush and is a dome of leaves and twigs with an entrance on the side. The opening usually pointing downhill when the nest is on slopy ground. The clutch varies from 2 to 5 eggs, with northern populations tending towards larger clutches. Parent birds run rodent-like in the undergrowth as they move in and out of the nest. Young birds fledge and leave the nest about 12 to 13 days after hatching.

Other recorded sighting is at Gunung Jerai Kulim and Kuala Kangsar. Just listen for its call.......good luck. I now need to find my last babbler Grey-breasted Babbler...................

BABBLER 21/23 - Grey-throated Babbler

Grey-throated Babbler

Species of Babblers are the most diverse in features to which without good photos it will be guess work and a task to identify. This is made worse when they keep in the undergrowth playing hide and seek and peekaboo with you.

The Grey-Throated is no exception when I encountered it together with the Dark-necked Tailorbird at Awana. Jason id it in an instant of its streaky forehead and grey with white patch throat. Size slightly bigger than the tailorbird....5 inches or so and keep to the lower storey

BABBLER 19/23 - Chestnut-rumped Babbler

Chestnut-rumped Babbler

 

One of the larger babbler about 7-8 in long in peninsula Malaysia's lowland forest and southern Thailand. Seldom seen but commonly heard. Like many other babbler they are communion and forage in group od 3-5 birds at low storey and at times drop onto the ground in search of grubs and crawlies.

It got this blue spectacle rim and black straited breast which is very distinct. And of cos the rump and tail is chestnut in colour. You also will notice its eyes are pale yellow

BABBLER 18/243 - Black-capped Babbler

 Black-capped Babbler

A lifer for the afternoon outing on Sunday. Black-capped Babbler is an uncommon listed bird. Found this one at small creek off the Kampung Kemensah. Birds were aplenty and suddenly pop out this bird about 40 ft away It was ready to scoot whilst I snap away from my position.....dare not get close but alas picture too far to be sharp......

 

New photos taken at Merapoh Taman Negara in May2015 . Courting underway as the Male offering mealworms which other birders scattered at the feeding station.

BABBLER 17/23 - Black-throated Babbler

Black-throated Babbler

Dreaming of catching this uncommon babbler ever since Madi shoot his in Bentong and Yen in Sg Koh Taman Negara. I finally got mine in Bkt Lancang Pahang. It is a resident of peninsula of Malaysia and southern side of Thailand. Sorry guys in Singapore this babbler dah lesap....maybe in Panti Johor

I must say it is a beautiful crooner like the fluffy-backed tit babbler. I got a video but blurred out.... sigh. This pair accompanied me for a good stretch of the trail but keep to the undergrowth. No clear shots but I am happy with what I got.

Its features are very distinct with white patches to cheek and brow. Its crown is also streaked. Dark throated with a white neck lace across its chest. Size wise just about 6 inches or 15cm. They start breeding in the months of May-July of the year. They are lowland birds keeping to evergreen and swampy forest upto about 500m sea level. Black-throated Babblers do comes down to lower storey to feed on grubs and invertebrates, berries and fruits as well as nectar when food are wanting.

Now to get Puff-throated in Gunung Jerai; Scaly-crowned & White-necked in Tmn Negara.

Revisited Bukit Rengit in June 2016 and manged some better shots of the  bird as below;-

BABBLER 16/23 - Buff-breasted Babbler

Latest Catch June2016 Jelai Frasers Hill

Buff-breasted Babbler

It is listed as a common babbler in Peninsula. After knowing its call I only realised it is indeed a common babbler as I can hear it calling along the stretch before the Bkt Rengit - Deerland (and along the green dense forest fringes there onwards) whenever I drive pass thinking what is calling. This is in the early part of the morning.

The Buff-breasted Babbler (Trichastoma tickelli) is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family. Small about 14cm or 5.5inches in length. The matured bird will have fine black streak buff breast. My shots were a bit soft due to poor lighting. The Juve was without a tail and I earlier thought it was a Short-tailed Bab. It call out in response to my Large Wren playback. The Chestnut-winged also was calling nearby. It stayed mainly at the lower storey of the jungle. It's diet is mainly insects and grubs that they find on ground and low shrubs' branches.

It is found in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests (Krau, Panti) and moist montane forests upto 1,500m (like Fraser's). They usually start breeding and nesting in the months of Feb-Jul. their nest is cuplike and often on the ground under foliage or branches just 1.5 ft from the ground. Should be easy to find..................?

Beautiful capture of the buff-breasted in Bukit Tinggi  November 2015.

BABBLER 15/23 - Chestnut-winged Babbler

Chestnut-winged Babbler

 

Chestnut-winged Babbler is a lowland bird of SEA countries upto 800m. Tiny bird of 13cm and boy are they hyper. It is one of the less common babbler you can see in Malaysia. Getting photo of them requires patience and more patience. You cannot chase them but instead wait for them to show with your call.

It is a beautiful babbler with bluish eye patch and grey chested and chestnut crowned.

Babblers tends to sulk behind thick the undergrowth. The only way to hold their attention is to call to them. Their curiosity and territorial habits will lure them out to some pocket opening for you to photograph them. Frequently in pairs. Breeding all year round. I can only manage some blurry shots here.
If you can notice the whitish patch of its cheek. It displaying in response to imitations of its voice. It approached the source of their call as close as 6 feet, You can notice it turned head-on and slowly bowed, tipping its bill to the ground whilst at the same time broadly expanding its chest to exhibit an almost iridescent halo of brilliant bluish white cheek which can be called the bellow flaps. The bird slowly bowing and expanding its breast, then raising its head once like a cuckoo dove. Territorial call I would say by this pair. during my encounter they were flying in circle around the source of sound and me several few times.

BABBLER 14/23 - Ferruginuous Babbler

Ferruginous Babbler

Ferruginous Babbler is a bird of lowland forest not exceeding 200m sea level. A very tough bird to see as they avoid human contact and have no melodious call. They are wary of people and they prefer foraging to the middle storey of the forest and peering from behind foliages.

It is aptly called ferruginous because of its beautiful uniform bright brown coat. You will notice its slender long beak and light lore to the eyes. Mind my lifer photo which is out of focus........the damn bird cannot hold still. Size is about 16-18cm which is large for a babbler. This is because it has a flattened long tail and beak.

 

BABBLER 13/23 - Fluffy-backed Babbler

Fluffy-backed Babbler

 

Yahooooo! I am the first to have this uncommon bird in multiply.com. It was the usual long wait and rowdy calling hoping they will show themselves. Then there was a singing competition between two pairs of them either over territorial rights or woeing females by these two guys. Cannot see the other pair though. Bird luck was with me as these two landed in a window opening and I was frantically shooting non stop praying it will not move as babbler tends to be very shy and exclusive. You will notice that it bellowed throat shows a bluish tinged skin or what when it call. You also notice the fluffy hair on the right one.

Found in lowland broadleaved forest fringes. hiding behind dark undergrowth and low shrubs. Do come out into forest opening fringe and pathway to grab for grubs and crawlies and quickly back into the bushes before you can shoot it. They do take berries and nectar

Size about 16-17cm. Overall brownish and rufous crown in color. black throated and bluish spectacle. It gives a variety of call and at time creaking quack sound- like. Breeding from month of Mar - Jun and their nest is on low shrubs and palms

BABBLER 12/23 - Golden Babbler

Golden Babbler

Crappy photo of a lifer. It was part of birdwave and you just shoot everything that moved in the undergrowth. This is what you get lor. There was a family of 2-3 at that time Babblers are really shy birds that seldom come out into the sun. Golden Babblers are smaller bird of their kind.

A birdwave is a obvious noisy affair of rainforest.This phenomenon where many different species band together and move rapidly though the forest, stirring up insects and feeding on them. Some tagged along on the way as the group gather strength & momentum.

Birdwaves occur at all storeys in the forest especially in the early morning and after overnight rainfall when there is a sudden surge of insects. Once you hear the cicadas and insects active again ........well you have missed the bird flypass

BABBLER 11/23 -Grey-headed Babbler

Grey-headed Babbler

 

Another lifer of a babbler found in Kemensah. Me and Madi were actually talking that Kemensah do not produce many babblers of the lowland forest unlike Bkt Rengit or Taman Negara. I think Panti Forest produce more babbler sightings than here.

Then out pop this Grey-headed for me to snapped just a few shots ..............Madi was in the wrong angle so missed the chance. No worries we know where it is. Little is written of this bird and sighting is not common. It is found in lowland forest upto 1800m. Size is about 6 inches 14cm. Distinct white yellowish eyes gives it away with a silvery streaky grey head and neck. Whole body is chestnut in color.
Feed on a variety of food from insects, vertabrae, berries and nectar. They breed in the months of Feb-Aug; building their nest on the ground like anthill with a side opening in dense belukar or in the river banks. 2-5 eggs are laid at one time.

Most of the time seen in dense dark undergrowth. Seen as far south as Panti Forest Johore and south of Thailand.

Very nice voice which sounded like "Chit Tiwieu Weet"

BABBLER 10/23 - Horsfield's Babbler

Horsfield's Babbler



 

Like the Chestnut-winged Babbler; the Horsfield's Babbler are beautiful crooner and sociable birds. It respond to your calls unabashedly and go to the source of call. I will put up some video clips later.

It says Horsfield's looks like the Abbott's in books . The differences is the darker crown color and the paler eye lores. Bodywise its more off white greyish with less rufous tinge. Its smaller at 15.5cm/ 6 inches. Anyway both are lowland babblers below 700m but Abbott's strives in all kind of terrains whilst Horsfield is found mainly near wet and water stream areas.