Photo: JJ Harrison / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Bare-headed Laughingthrush
Melanocichla calva
Bare-headed Laughingthrush (Melanocichla calva) — 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 Bare-headed Laughingthrush (Melanocichla calva) is a member of the Timaliidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 78.6 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 Timaliidae Babblers, Scimitar Babblers
- Genus Melanocichla
- Species calva
Quick facts
- Weight
- 78.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Timaliidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Bare-headed Laughingthrush 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 Bare-headed Laughingthrush is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Bare-headed Laughingthrush (Melanocichla calva) belongs to the Timaliidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR montane e Sarawak and Sabah (n Borneo).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 78.6 g, with a wing length of about 11.9 cm and a tail of around 11.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Bare-headed Laughingthrush?
The Bare-headed Laughingthrush is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 78.6 g.
Where does the Bare-headed Laughingthrush live?
The Bare-headed Laughingthrush is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR montane e Sarawak and Sabah (n Borneo), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Bare-headed Laughingthrush belong to?
The Bare-headed Laughingthrush (Melanocichla calva) belongs to the Timaliidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Bare-headed Laughingthrush eat?
The Bare-headed Laughingthrush is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Bare-headed Laughingthrush migrate?
The Bare-headed Laughingthrush is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Bare-headed Laughingthrush 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 Bare-headed Laughingthrush make?
1 real field recording of the Bare-headed Laughingthrush — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
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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