Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Scaly-crowned Babbler
Malacopteron cinereum
Scaly-crowned Babbler (Malacopteron cinereum) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 3 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Scaly-crowned Babbler (Malacopteron cinereum) is a member of the Pellorneidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 18.1 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Pellorneidae Ground Babblers
- Genus Malacopteron
- Species cinereum
Quick facts
- Weight
- 18.1 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Pellorneidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Scaly-crowned Babbler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Scaly-crowned Babbler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Scaly-crowned Babbler (Malacopteron cinereum) is a species of bird in the Pellorneidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR e Thailand to Vietnam, Java and Borneo.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 18.1 g, with a wing length of about 7.7 cm and a tail of around 5.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Scaly-crowned Babbler?
The Scaly-crowned Babbler is a small bird that weighs around 18.1 g.
Where does the Scaly-crowned Babbler live?
The Scaly-crowned Babbler is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR e Thailand to Vietnam, Java and Borneo, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Scaly-crowned Babbler belong to?
The Scaly-crowned Babbler (Malacopteron cinereum) belongs to the Pellorneidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Scaly-crowned Babbler eat?
The Scaly-crowned Babbler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Scaly-crowned Babbler migrate?
The Scaly-crowned Babbler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Scaly-crowned Babbler endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Scaly-crowned Babbler make?
1 real field recording of the Scaly-crowned Babbler — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Scaly-crowned Babbler's range?
The Scaly-crowned Babbler has a mapped global range of about 1.5 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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