Photo: Anagha devi / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Palani Laughingthrush
Montecincla fairbanki
Palani Laughingthrush (Montecincla fairbanki) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Palani Laughingthrush (Montecincla fairbanki) is a member of the Leiothrichidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 45.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Leiothrichidae Laughingthrushes & Allies
- Genus Montecincla
- Species fairbanki
Quick facts
- Weight
- 45.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Leiothrichidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Near Threatened
Endangered
Not Evaluated
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Palani Laughingthrush is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Palani Laughingthrush is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Palani Laughingthrush (Montecincla fairbanki) belongs to the Leiothrichidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR sw India (Western Ghats in Palani Hills).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 45.5 g, with a wing length of about 8.3 cm and a tail of around 8.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 990 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Palani Laughingthrush?
The Palani Laughingthrush is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 45.5 g.
Where does the Palani Laughingthrush live?
The Palani Laughingthrush is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR sw India (Western Ghats in Palani Hills), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Palani Laughingthrush belong to?
The Palani Laughingthrush (Montecincla fairbanki) belongs to the Leiothrichidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Palani Laughingthrush eat?
The Palani Laughingthrush is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Palani Laughingthrush migrate?
The Palani Laughingthrush is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Palani Laughingthrush endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Palani Laughingthrush make?
1 real field recording of the Palani Laughingthrush — 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 Palani Laughingthrush's range?
The Palani Laughingthrush has a mapped global range of about 990 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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