Chestnut-crowned Babbler

Identification

Chestnut-crowned babblers are dark, brown-grey birds with a white throat and breast, white-tipped tail and a long, black, down-curved bill. Wings are short and rounded and the tail is long with a rounded tip. Diagnostic features include two white wing bars and a rich, chestnut crown highlighted by long, white eyebrows. The birds have dark brown eyes and grey legs, while the wings, back and flanks are brown-grey to mottled dusky on the mantle. The white of the throat and breast is well-defined and narrower than that of the similar, white-browed babbler (Pomatostomus superciliosus). Combined, these characteristics give the chestnut-crowned babbler a rather unusual appearance.<p>At 21–23 cm and approximately 50 g in weight, the chestnut-crowned babbler is noticeably smaller than the grey-crowned babbler (Pomatostomus temporalis). It also gives the appearance of being slimmer than other babbler species. Adults are sexually monomorphic. Immature birds are like the adults but duller, with a pale rufous eyebrow and chest, brown crown and whitish patch behind the eye.

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Pomatostomus ruficeps

Authority

(Hartlaub, 1852)

Order

Passeriformes

Family

Pomatostomidae

Genus

Pomatostomus

Range and habitat

Chestnut-crowned babblers are found in inland areas of south-eastern Australia, including parts of western New South Wales, south-western Queensland, eastern South Australia and north-western Victoria. Its distribution lies within the south-eastern Lake Eyre Basin and the western Murray-Darling Basin.<p>The species commonly inhabits mallee, mulga and belar woodlands that are drier and more open than those occupied by the white-browed babbler and Hall's babbler (Pomatostomus halli). Other habitats include acacia and cypress pine scrubs and woodlands, stony ground and sandhills, and lignum, saltbush and samphire.<p>Chestnut-crowned babblers are most readily sighted at Eulo Bore, Bowra Station and in Hattah-Kulkyne National Park, as well as along many outback roads including those between Quilpie and Windorah, and Bourke and Nyngan.

Migration

Resident species

Behavior

Babblers are renowned for their cheerful, energetic, social behaviour. During the non-breeding season (December - June), chestnut-crowned babblers form cohesive social groups of 3 to 23 individuals that maintain a territory, roost and forage together. Dust-bathing and preening may also be undertaken as a group. At night, they crowd together in a communal roosting nest, built by the group in dead or partly living trees. These dormitory nests may also be disused breeding nests to which the group continues to add material.<p>If disturbed, individuals hop away behind cover, departing in long, low glides. When alarmed, they may huddle together under dense foliage or dash up the under-canopy of trees and shrubs, chattering noisily. They are playful and have been known to wear trenches in the ground from chasing each other around; however, they are shyer than other babbler species.

Conservation

Internationally, the chestnut-crowned babbler is listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List. It is not listed as threatened under Australia's national Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 or under Queensland, New South Wales, Victorian or South Australian legislation. Little is known about its movements but the species is thought to be sedentary and it is scarce to locally common.

Population trend

stable