Photo: Nicolas Huet / Jean Gabriel Prêtre / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler
Macronus ptilosus
Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler (Macronus ptilosus) — 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 Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler (Macronus ptilosus) is a member of the Timaliidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 18 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 Timaliidae Babblers, Scimitar Babblers
- Genus Macronus
- Species ptilosus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 18 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Timaliidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Fluffy-backed Tit-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 Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler (Macronus ptilosus) is a member of the Timaliidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Malay Pen., Sumatra and some satellites, and Borneo.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 18 g, with a wing length of about 7.1 cm and a tail of around 6.3 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 444,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler?
The Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler is a small bird that weighs around 18 g.
Where does the Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler live?
The Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Malay Pen., Sumatra and some satellites, and Borneo, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler belong to?
The Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler (Macronus ptilosus) belongs to the Timaliidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler eat?
The Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler migrate?
The Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler 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 Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler make?
1 real field recording of the Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler's range?
The Fluffy-backed Tit-Babbler has a mapped global range of about 444,000 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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