Rusty-cheeked scimitar babbler

Rusty-cheeked scimitar babbler
E. e. erythrogenys, Ghatgarh, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India.
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Timaliidae
Genus:	Erythrogenys
Species:	E. erythrogenys
Binomial name
Erythrogenys erythrogenys (Vigors, 1831)

E. e. ferrugilatus
Nagarjun Forest, Kathmandu, Nepal

The rusty-cheeked scimitar babbler (Erythrogenys erythrogenys) is a passerine bird in the babbler family Timaliidae that is found in the Himalayas from northeast Pakistan to Bhutan. It was formerly considered as conspecific with the red-eyed scimitar babbler that is found in eastern Myanmar and northwestern Thailand.

Taxonomy

The rusty-cheeked scimitar babbler was formally described in 1831 by the Irish zoologist Nicholas Vigors under the binomial name Pamatorhynus erythrogenys in John Gould's book "Century of Birds from the Himalaya Mountains". The description was accompanied by a hand coloured illustration drawn by Elizabeth Gould. ^[2] In 1924 the type locality was restricted to "Shimla–Almora". ^{[3] [4]} The specific epithet combines the Ancient Greek ερυθρος/eruthros meaning "red" with γενυος/genuos meaning "cheek". ^[5] The rusty-cheeked scimitar babbler is now one of seven scimitar babblers placed in the genus Erythrogenys . The species was formerly regarded as conspecific with the red-eyed scimitar babbler (Erythrogenys imberbis) that is found in eastern Myanmar and northwestern Thailand. The red-eyed scimitar babbler in now considered as a separate species based on the differences in morphology and vocalization. ^{[6] [7]}

Three subspecies are recognised: ^[6]

• E. e. erythrogenys (Vigors, 1831) – west Himalayas (northeast Pakistan and north India)
• E. e. ferrugilatus (Hodgson, 1836) – west, central Nepal
• E. e. haringtoni (Baker, ECS, 1914) – east Nepal to east Bhutan

Description

The species is olive-brown above, with rusty colouring on the sides of the face, head, thighs, and flanks. The belly is mostly white. Sexes are alike. The beak is long and decurved in a scimitar shape. ^[8]

Distribution and habitat

The rusty-cheeked scimitar babbler is found from the Himalayas to Myanmar. It inhabits subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest habitats at elevations up to 2,600 m (8,500 ft). ^[1]

Ecology

The bird feeds mostly on the forest floor and in low canopy, forming small groups. Food items include insects, grubs and seeds. Calls consist of a mellow, fluty whistle, a two-noted "CUE..PE...CUE..pe" call followed by single note replay by mate, guttural alarm calls and a liquid contact note. The species is generally quite noisy. ^{[1] [8]}

References

1. BirdLife International (2016). "Erythrogenys erythrogenys". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22715955A94476761. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22715955A94476761.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
2. Vigors, Nicholas Aylward (1831). Gould, John; Gould, Elizabeth (eds.). Century of Birds from the Himalaya Mountains. London: John Gould. Plate 55. For the date and publication details see: McAllen, I. a. W.; Bruce, M. D. (2002). "Systematic notes on Asian birds. 27. On the dates of publication of John Gould's 'A Century of Birds from the Himalaya Mountains'". Zoologische Verhandelingen. 340: 161-177 [166].
3. Mayr, Ernst; Paynter, Raymond A. Jr, eds. (1964). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 10. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 267.
4. Ticehurst, Claud B.; Whistler, Hugh (1924). "On the Type-locality of certain Birds described by Vigors". Ibis. 66 (3): 468-473 [471]. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1924.tb05337.x.
5. Jobling, James A. "Erythrogenys". The Key to Scientific Names. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
6. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (August 2024). "Babblers & fulvettas". IOC World Bird List Version 14.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
7. Berryman, A.J.; Boesman, P.; Collar, N.J. (2023). "Evidence from citizen science and museum specimens suggests species rank for Erythrogenys [erythrogenys] imberbis (Salvadori, 1889), 'Red-eyed Scimitar Babbler'". Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club. 143 (3): 375–384. doi: 10.25226/bboc.v143i3.2023.a14 .
8. Baker, E.C. Stuart (1922). The Fauna of British India Birds including Ceylon and Burma. Birds. Vol. 1 (2nd ed.). London: Taylor and Francis. pp. 219–222.

Further reading

• Collar, N. J. & Robson, C. 2007. Family Timaliidae (Babblers) pp. 70 – 291 in; del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. & Christie, D.A. eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World , Vol. 12. Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.