Skip to main content

Photo: Dibyendu Ash / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler

Pomatorhinus superciliaris

Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus superciliaris) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists
See what's near you right now

The Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus superciliaris) is a member of the Timaliidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 28 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Passeriformes
  3. Family Timaliidae Babblers, Scimitar Babblers
  4. Genus Pomatorhinus
  5. Species superciliaris

Where it lives

Himalayas to northwestern Vietnam

Quick facts

Weight
28 g
Family
Timaliidae
Habitat
Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Behaviour

A bird of dense scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.

Migration

The Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus superciliaris) is a member of the Timaliidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Himalayas to nw Vietnam.

It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 28 g, with a wing length of about 7.5 cm and a tail of around 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 665,000 km².

Songs & calls

Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler — Song

Recorded by Hans Matheve Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler?

The Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler is a small bird that weighs around 28 g.

Where does the Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler live?

The Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Himalayas to nw Vietnam, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.

What family does the Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler belong to?

The Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus superciliaris) belongs to the Timaliidae family, in the order Passeriformes.

What does the Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler eat?

The Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler migrate?

The Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Slender-billed Scimitar 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 Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler make?

1 real field recording of the Slender-billed Scimitar 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 Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler's range?

The Slender-billed Scimitar Babbler has a mapped global range of about 665,000 km².

Conservation

Least Concern

Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.

How to help birds

Explore more birds

More in Timaliidae

More in Songbirds

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.

4 min read

Back to top