Photo: Wich’yanan L / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Malayan Black-capped Babbler
Pellorneum nigrocapitatum
Malayan Black-capped Babbler (Pellorneum nigrocapitatum) — 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 Malayan Black-capped Babbler (Pellorneum nigrocapitatum) is a member of the Pellorneidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 25.1 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 Pellorneum
- Species nigrocapitatum
Where it lives
Malay Pen., Sumatra, Bangka and Belitung (east of southern Sumatra) and northern Natuna Is. (northwest of Borneo)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 25.1 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Pellorneidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Malayan Black-capped Babbler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Malayan Black-capped Babbler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Malayan Black-capped Babbler (Pellorneum nigrocapitatum) is a member of the Pellorneidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Malay Pen., Sumatra, Bangka and Belitung (e of s Sumatra) and n Natuna Is. (nw of Borneo).
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 25.1 g, with a wing length of about 6.8 cm and a tail of around 5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Malayan Black-capped Babbler?
The Malayan Black-capped Babbler is a small bird that weighs around 25.1 g.
Where does the Malayan Black-capped Babbler live?
The Malayan Black-capped Babbler is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Malay Pen., Sumatra, Bangka and Belitung (e of s Sumatra) and n Natuna Is. (nw of Borneo), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Malayan Black-capped Babbler belong to?
The Malayan Black-capped Babbler (Pellorneum nigrocapitatum) belongs to the Pellorneidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Malayan Black-capped Babbler eat?
The Malayan Black-capped Babbler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Malayan Black-capped Babbler migrate?
The Malayan Black-capped Babbler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Malayan Black-capped 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 Malayan Black-capped Babbler make?
1 real field recording of the Malayan Black-capped 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 Malayan Black-capped Babbler's range?
The Malayan Black-capped Babbler has a mapped global range of about 1.3 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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