Yellow-billed Babbler
Encyclopedia
The Yellow-billed Babbler or White-headed Babbler (Turdoides affinis) is an Old World babbler
endemic to southern India
and Sri Lanka
. The Yellow-billed Babbler is a common resident breeding bird in Sri Lanka
and southern India
. Its habitat is scrub, cultivation and garden land. This species
, like most babblers, is not migratory
, and has short rounded wings and a weak flight and is usually seen calling and foraging in groups. It is often mistaken for the Jungle Babbler
, whose range overlaps in parts of southern India, although it has a distinctive call and tends to be found in more vegetated habitats.
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These birds have grey brown upperparts, grey throat and breast with some mottling, and a pale buff belly. The head and nape are grey. The Sri Lankan form T. a. taprobanus is drab pale grey. Nominate race of southern India has whitish crown and nape with a darker mantle. The rump is paler and the tail has a broad dark tip. Birds in the extreme south of India are very similar to the Sri Lankan subspecies with the colour of the crown and back being more grey. The eye is bluish white. The Indian form is more heavily streaked on the throat and breast. The Sri Lankan subspecies resembles the Jungle Babbler
, Turdoides striatus, although that species does not occur on the island.
Seven distinctive vocalizations have been noted in this species and this species has a higher pitched call than the Jungle Babbler. The Jungle Babbler has calls that have a harsher and nasal quality.
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The Yellow-billed Babbler lives in flocks of seven to ten or more. It is a noisy bird, and the presence of a flock may generally be known at some distance by the continual chattering, squeaking and chirping produced by its members. One member often perches high and acts as a sentinel while the remaining members of the flock forage on or close to the ground. They feeds mainly on insects, but also eat fruit, nectar and human food scrap. They have been known to take Calotes versicolor
lizard and whip-scorpions. They do not fly long distances, the maximum distance flown non-stop was about 180 m and prior to flying, they usually gain height by moving up a tree or tall shrub. Black Drongo
s, Rufous Treepie
s and Indian Palm Squirrel
s are often seen foraging near these babblers.
Birds wake up before dawn around 6 AM and begin foraging. They are relatively inactive in the hot hours of the day from 1330 to 1630. They assemble in groups around 1900 hrs and preen themselves before going to roost. Members of a group roost next to each other with some juveniles wedging themselves in the middle of the group. When foraging the sentinel bird calls with wing fluttering and hopping. Allopreening is a common activity, particularly in winter, and members may beg for food from other members.
Yellow Billed Babblers particularly like to take baths, and may visit birdbaths in their general territories, usually around late afternoon to evening time. Sometimes these birds have been observed visiting birdbaths at around 18:30hours, after sunset, when darkness is beginning to set in.
A study in the Sivakasi
plains noted that groups had a home range of 0.4 km2 and the population density was about 55 birds per km2.
(Clamator jacobinus) is known from both the Indian and Sri Lankan region. The Common Hawk-cuckoo
has also been noted as a brood-parasite. In an exceptional case, Jungle Babbler
s have been seen feeding
the chicks of the Yellow-billed Babbler. Chicks are fed mainly insects and the occasional lizard. Like most perching birds, the parents take care of nest sanitation, removing the faecal sacs of the young, typically by swallowing them. Helpers
have been seen to assist the parents in building the nest as well as in feeding the chicks at the nest.
. Chicks are also eaten by them and predation by the rat snake Ptyas mucosus
has also been recorded.
Old World babbler
The Old World babblers or timaliids are a large family of mostly Old World passerine birds. They are rather diverse in size and coloration, but are characterised by soft fluffy plumage. These are birds of tropical areas, with the greatest variety in Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent...
endemic to southern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. The Yellow-billed Babbler is a common resident breeding bird in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
and southern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Its habitat is scrub, cultivation and garden land. This species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, like most babblers, is not migratory
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
, and has short rounded wings and a weak flight and is usually seen calling and foraging in groups. It is often mistaken for the Jungle Babbler
Jungle Babbler
The Jungle Babbler is an Old World babbler found in the Indian Subcontinent. They are gregarious birds that forage in small groups of six to ten birds, a habit that has given them the popular name of Seven Sisters or Saath bhai in Hindi with cognates in other regional languages which means "seven...
, whose range overlaps in parts of southern India, although it has a distinctive call and tends to be found in more vegetated habitats.
Description
Jungle Babbler
The Jungle Babbler is an Old World babbler found in the Indian Subcontinent. They are gregarious birds that forage in small groups of six to ten birds, a habit that has given them the popular name of Seven Sisters or Saath bhai in Hindi with cognates in other regional languages which means "seven...
, Turdoides striatus, although that species does not occur on the island.
Seven distinctive vocalizations have been noted in this species and this species has a higher pitched call than the Jungle Babbler. The Jungle Babbler has calls that have a harsher and nasal quality.
Distribution and habitat
This species is patchily distributed in southern India and Sri Lanka. The nominate subspecies is found in Andhra Pradesh, south of the Godavari river and Karnataka south of Belgaum into Tamil Nadu. It prefers lower altitudes and drier habitats than the Jungle Babbler but sometimes is found alongside it. The Sri Lankan subspecies is found in the lowlands and hills up to about 1500m avoiding heavy forest.Behaviour and ecology
Calotes versicolor
The Oriental Garden Lizard, Eastern Garden Lizard or Changeable Lizard is an agamid lizard found widely distributed in Asia. It has also been introduced in many other parts of the world...
lizard and whip-scorpions. They do not fly long distances, the maximum distance flown non-stop was about 180 m and prior to flying, they usually gain height by moving up a tree or tall shrub. Black Drongo
Black Drongo
The Black Drongo , also known as the King Crow, is a small Asian passerine bird of the drongo family Dicruridae. Previously considered a subspecies of the African Fork-tailed Drongo , it is now recognized as a full species...
s, Rufous Treepie
Rufous Treepie
The Rufous Treepie is an Asian treepie, a member of the Corvidae family. It is long tailed and has loud musical calls making it very conspicuous. It is found commonly in open scrub, agricultural areas, forests as well as urban gardens...
s and Indian Palm Squirrel
Indian Palm Squirrel
The Indian Palm Squirrel also known as Three-Striped Palm Squirrel, is a species of rodent in the Sciuridae family that can be easily domesticated and kept as pets. It is found naturally in India and Sri Lanka...
s are often seen foraging near these babblers.
Birds wake up before dawn around 6 AM and begin foraging. They are relatively inactive in the hot hours of the day from 1330 to 1630. They assemble in groups around 1900 hrs and preen themselves before going to roost. Members of a group roost next to each other with some juveniles wedging themselves in the middle of the group. When foraging the sentinel bird calls with wing fluttering and hopping. Allopreening is a common activity, particularly in winter, and members may beg for food from other members.
Yellow Billed Babblers particularly like to take baths, and may visit birdbaths in their general territories, usually around late afternoon to evening time. Sometimes these birds have been observed visiting birdbaths at around 18:30hours, after sunset, when darkness is beginning to set in.
A study in the Sivakasi
Sivakasi
Sivakasi is an active town and a municipality in Virudhunagar District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the capital of India’s firecracker industry with about 8,000 factories, big and small, producing 90 percent of the total fireworks output.It is also known as "kutti japan" meaning "small...
plains noted that groups had a home range of 0.4 km2 and the population density was about 55 birds per km2.
Breeding
Nests of the species have are seen round the year but the peak breeding season is prior to the onset of the Southwest Monsoon. It builds its nest in a tree, concealed in dense masses of foliage. The majority of nests are placed below a height of four metres. The nest is a small cup placed in a fork of a branch. The normal clutch is two to four turquoise blue eggs, although up to five may be laid by birds in the hills of Sri Lanka. The eggs hatch after 14 to 16 days. Brooding parent bird often stands on the rim of the nest rather than sit on the chicks. Brood parasitism by the Pied CuckooPied Cuckoo
The Jacobin Cuckoo, Pied Cuckoo, or Pied Crested Cuckoo is a member of the cuckoo order of birds that is found in Africa and Asia. It is partially migratory and in India, it has been considered a harbinger of the Monsoon rains due to the timing of its arrival...
(Clamator jacobinus) is known from both the Indian and Sri Lankan region. The Common Hawk-cuckoo
Common Hawk-cuckoo
The Common Hawk-Cuckoo , popularly known as the Brainfever bird, is a medium sized cuckoo resident in South Asia. It bears a close resemblance to the Shikra, a sparrow hawk, even in its style of flying and landing on a perch...
has also been noted as a brood-parasite. In an exceptional case, Jungle Babbler
Jungle Babbler
The Jungle Babbler is an Old World babbler found in the Indian Subcontinent. They are gregarious birds that forage in small groups of six to ten birds, a habit that has given them the popular name of Seven Sisters or Saath bhai in Hindi with cognates in other regional languages which means "seven...
s have been seen feeding
Interspecific feeding
Interspecific feeding refers to behaviour reported in wild animals, particularly birds where adults of one species feed the young of another species. This usually excludes the case of birds feeding brood parasites. The behaviour has been of theoretical interest since it appears to be provide little...
the chicks of the Yellow-billed Babbler. Chicks are fed mainly insects and the occasional lizard. Like most perching birds, the parents take care of nest sanitation, removing the faecal sacs of the young, typically by swallowing them. Helpers
Helpers at the nest
Helpers at the nest is a term used in behavioural ecology and evolutionary biology to describe a social structure in which juveniles and sexually mature adolescents of either one or both sexes, remain in association with their parents and help them raise subsequent broods or litters, instead of...
have been seen to assist the parents in building the nest as well as in feeding the chicks at the nest.
Mortality
Predators of the eggs include mongoose, crows and the Greater CoucalGreater Coucal
The Greater Coucal or Crow Pheasant is a large non-parasitic member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes. A widespread resident in Asia, from India, east to south China and Indonesia, it is divided into several subspecies, some being treated as full species...
. Chicks are also eaten by them and predation by the rat snake Ptyas mucosus
Ptyas mucosus
Dhaman or Oriental Ratsnake Ptyas mucosus is a common species of colubrid snake found in parts of South and Southeast Asia. Growing to nearly two metres, they are large snakes and their colour varies from pale browns in dry regions to nearly black in moist forest areas...
has also been recorded.
Other sources
- Jeyasingh,DEP (1975) Some observations on chick rearing in the White headed Babbler (Turdoides affinis). Newsletter for BirdwatchersNewsletter for BirdwatchersNewsletter for Birdwatchers is an Indian periodical of ornithology and birdwatching founded in 1960 by Zafar Futehally, who edited it until 2003. It was initially mimeographed and distributed to a small number of subscribers each month. The editorial board in its early years included Salim Ali,...
. 15(1), 5-7. - Oberholser,H (1920) Mutanda ornithologica IX. Proc. Bio. Sci. Washington 33, 83-84.
- Zacharias VJ 1978 Ecology and Biology of certain species of Babblers. Turdoides species. Ph.D. Thesis, Calicut University