Rufous-chinned laughingthrush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rufous-chinned laughingthrush |
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| From Naina Devi Himalayan Bird Conservation Reserve, Uttarakhand, India | |
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Garrulax rufogularis |
The rufous-chinned laughingthrush (Ianthocincla rufogularis) is a type of bird that lives in parts of Asia. It belongs to the family called Leiothrichidae. You can find this bird in the northern areas of the Indian subcontinent and some parts of Southeast Asia. It's known for its unique look, especially its reddish-brown chin.
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About the Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush Name
This bird was first described by an English bird expert and artist named John Gould in 1835. He found a specimen, which is a sample of the bird, in the Himalayas. Gould gave it the scientific name Ianthocincla rufogularis. This is a binomial name, which means it has two parts: the genus name (Ianthocincla) and the species name (rufogularis).
For a while, this laughingthrush was placed in a different group, or genus, called Garrulax. However, after new scientific studies in 2018, scientists decided to move it back to its original genus, Ianthocincla. This shows how scientists keep learning more about animals and sometimes change how they are classified.
Different Kinds of Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush
There are six slightly different types, or subspecies, of the rufous-chinned laughingthrush. They all look similar but have small differences, often based on where they live:
- I. r. occidentalis – Found in the western Himalayas.
- I. r. rufogularis – Lives from central Nepal to northern Assam in northeast India.
- I. r. assamensis – Found in southeast Assam (northeast India), eastern Bangladesh, and western Myanmar.
- I. r. rufitincta – Lives in southwest Assam (northeast India).
- I. r. rufiberbis – Found in southeast Arunachal Pradesh (northeast India), northern Myanmar, and southern China.
- I. r. intensior – Lives in northwest Vietnam.
What the Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush Looks Like
This bird is a medium size. You can easily spot it by its black cap (like a hat) on its head and a black band on its brown tail. Its belly and chest are usually greyish. The feathers on its back look a bit like scales.
One special feature is a light, buff-colored patch near its eyes and a dark stripe that looks like a mustache. This stripe goes along its reddish-brown chin and ear areas.
How They Vary by Location
Birds from different areas can look a little different. For example:
- The birds in the western Himalayas (occidentalis) are often greyer and paler. This makes their dark markings stand out more.
- Birds from the eastern areas (assamensis) have a lighter throat, and the markings there are not as strong.
- The birds found in Meghalaya (rufitincta) have a light orange color on their underside, from their throat all the way to their belly.
Where the Rufous-chinned Laughingthrush Lives
You can find this bird in several countries across Asia. These include Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Tibet, and Vietnam.
Its favorite places to live are moist lowland forests and moist montane forests (forests in the mountains). These are its natural habitats where it can find food and shelter.
