Photo: Wich’yanan L / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Mourning Babbler
Pellorneum malaccense
Mourning Babbler (Pellorneum malaccense) — 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 Mourning Babbler (Pellorneum malaccense) is a member of the Pellorneidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 21.4 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 Pellorneidae Ground Babblers
- Genus Pellorneum
- Species malaccense
Where it lives
Malay Pen., Anambas Is. (east of Malay Pen.), Sumatra, Banyak and Batu is. (west of Sumatra), Riau and Lingga is. (east of central Sumatra) and northern Natuna Is. (northwest of Borneo)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 21.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Pellorneidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Mourning Babbler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Mourning Babbler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Mourning Babbler (Pellorneum malaccense) is a member of the Pellorneidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Malay Pen., Anambas Is. (e of Malay Pen.), Sumatra, Banyak and Batu is. (w of Sumatra), Riau and Lingga is. (e of c Sumatra) and n Natuna Is. (nw of Borneo).
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 21.4 g, with a wing length of about 6.9 cm and a tail of around 3.6 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.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Mourning Babbler?
The Mourning Babbler is a small bird that weighs around 21.4 g.
Where does the Mourning Babbler live?
The Mourning Babbler is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Malay Pen., Anambas Is. (e of Malay Pen.), Sumatra, Banyak and Batu is. (w of Sumatra), Riau and Lingga is. (e of c Sumatra) and n Natuna Is. (nw of Borneo), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Mourning Babbler belong to?
The Mourning Babbler (Pellorneum malaccense) belongs to the Pellorneidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Mourning Babbler eat?
The Mourning Babbler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Mourning Babbler migrate?
The Mourning Babbler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Mourning 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 Mourning Babbler make?
1 real field recording of the Mourning Babbler — 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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