Photo: ꦥꦤ꧀ꦗꦶꦒꦸꦱ꧀ꦠꦶꦄꦏ꧀ꦧꦂ / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Horsfield’s Babbler
Malacocincla sepiaria
Horsfield's Babbler (Malacocincla sepiaria) — 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 Horsfield’s Babbler (Malacocincla sepiaria) is a member of the Pellorneidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 25.5 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 Malacocincla
- Species sepiaria
Quick facts
- Weight
- 25.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Pellorneidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Horsfield’s Babbler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Horsfield’s Babbler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Horsfield’s Babbler (Malacocincla sepiaria) is a species of bird in the Pellorneidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Malay Pen., Sumatra, Java and Borneo.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 25.5 g, with a wing length of about 7.3 cm and a tail of around 3.9 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 970,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Horsfield’s Babbler?
The Horsfield’s Babbler is a small bird that weighs around 25.5 g.
Where does the Horsfield’s Babbler live?
The Horsfield’s Babbler is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Malay Pen., Sumatra, Java and Borneo, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Horsfield’s Babbler belong to?
The Horsfield’s Babbler (Malacocincla sepiaria) belongs to the Pellorneidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Horsfield’s Babbler eat?
The Horsfield’s Babbler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Horsfield’s Babbler migrate?
The Horsfield’s Babbler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Horsfield’s 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 Horsfield’s Babbler make?
1 real field recording of the Horsfield’s 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 Horsfield’s Babbler's range?
The Horsfield’s Babbler has a mapped global range of about 970,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Pellorneidae
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Extinct
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.