Bornean Wren-Babbler

Ptilocichla leucogrammica

Large, stout wren-babbler. Highly dependent on pristine lowland forests; populations now declining and increasingly fragmented across Borneo as that habitat is rapidly deforested. Shy, foraging quietly under dense cover and amongst fallen trunks, usually in pairs or small groups. Best detected by song, a simple but beautiful two-note series of mournful, clear whistles: “doooo-deeee.” If seen well, note whitish face, white-and-black-streaked underparts, brown back, and pot-bellied appearance.

Taxonomy

Scientific name
Ptilocichla leucogrammica
Authority
(Bonaparte, 1850)
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Pellorneidae
Genus
Ptilocichla

Range and habitat

Migration
Resident species

Conservation

Population trend
declining

Photos

Distribution

Bird Calls

Other Birds

Sulphur-bellied Tyrant-Manakin

Sulphur-bellied Tyrant-Manakin

Neopelma sulphureiventer

Large, tan manakin. Longer-tailed with a more upright posture than other smaller manakins. Forages singly or in pairs in the low midstory of dense, viny secondary forest, especially along rivers; in areas with bamboos, largely restricted to bamboo patches. Call is distinctive nasal laughing.

Gray-bellied Wren-Babbler

Gray-bellied Wren-Babbler

Spelaeornis reptatus

Elusive brown skulker with a pale throat and gray face. Dark edges to its back and crown feathers give it a scaly-looking quality. Forages on ground and in undergrowth, almost always under heavy cover and rarely emerging into the open. Extremely similar in appearance to Pale-throated, Chin Hills, and Long-tailed wren-babblers, but no range overlap. Song is a long ascending trill with a stuttering, bubbly quality to it.

Little Rock-Thrush

Little Rock-Thrush

Monticola rufocinereus

A small rock-thrush with blue-gray upperparts and hood and an orange belly. The tail has a black-and-orange “T” pattern that is conspicuous in flight. Males and females vary slightly: males are cleaner blue-gray above, while females are more brownish. Found locally in a variety of habitats with a mix of rocks, trees, and bushes. Sometimes also on and around human structures. Similar to redstarts, but easily distinguished by the clean gray hood and the lack of black on the face. Also similar to male Rufous-tailed Rock-Thrush, but smaller, lacking white on the back, and with a more extensive gray hood. The quiet song consists of musical phrases that can be short or quite long. 

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Bornean Wren-Babbler | BirdLens