Red-tailed laughingthrush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red-tailed laughingthrush |
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The red-tailed laughingthrush (Trochalopteron milnei) is a beautiful bird known for its bright colors. It belongs to a family of birds called Leiothrichidae. These birds are found in parts of Asia and are quite special!
What Does It Look Like?
This medium-sized bird is about 26 to 28 centimeters long, which is roughly the length of a ruler. It weighs between 66 and 93 grams, about as much as a small apple. The red-tailed laughingthrush has a mostly dull grey body. But look closely, and you'll see its head is a bright reddish-brown, and its face is dark with light-colored patches near its ears. Its wings and tail are a striking crimson red, which is how it got its name!
Where Do They Live?
You can find the red-tailed laughingthrush in several countries in Asia, including China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. These birds love to live in thick, green forests, especially those with broadleaf evergreen trees. They prefer to stay in the lower parts of the forest, close to the ground.
These birds are mountain dwellers! They usually live at high elevations, typically between 1,800 and 2,500 meters above sea level. That's pretty high up in the mountains!
What Do They Eat and How Do They Reproduce?
Red-tailed laughingthrushes mainly enjoy eating insects and small bugs like beetles and centipedes. But they also love to snack on berries and fruits, especially from plants called Saurauja.
Their breeding season, when they have their babies, happens from April to June. Both the male and female birds work together to build a neat, cup-shaped nest. They usually make it from grasses and bamboo leaves, placing it about one meter off the ground. The female bird lays 2 or 3 eggs, and both parents take turns keeping the eggs warm for about 17 to 18 days. Once the chicks hatch, both parents feed them until they are big enough to leave the nest, which happens in about 14 to 16 days.
