Photo: Punitha Satharasinnghe / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler
Pomatorhinus melanurus
Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus melanurus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
The Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus melanurus) is a member of the Timaliidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 43 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 Pomatorhinus
- Species melanurus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 43 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Timaliidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Sri Lanka Scimitar 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 Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus melanurus) belongs to the Timaliidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Sri Lanka.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 43 g, with a wing length of about 8.8 cm and a tail of around 8.9 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 60,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler?
The Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler is a small bird that weighs around 43 g.
Where does the Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler live?
The Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Sri Lanka, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler belong to?
The Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus melanurus) belongs to the Timaliidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler eat?
The Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler migrate?
The Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler make?
1 real field recording of the Sri Lanka 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 Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler's range?
The Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler has a mapped global range of about 60,000 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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