Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler Pomatorhinus ruficollis is a small scimitar babbler with a shorter, less decurved bill than its congeners. Has black mask, long white supercilium, and rufous-chestnut nuchal collar. Occurs northern India to central and southern China and Laos and Vietnam. Race nigrostellatus (above), endemic to Hainan, characterized by dark, chestnut-streaked white belly and dark chestnut flanks. Photo: Jianfengling National Forest Park (18.744877, 108.839245), Hainan, elev. 1020 m (3,360 ft.), January. (Craig Brelsford)In China styani (above) has the largest range, occurring from Gansu and northern Sichuan to Zhejiang and Jiangsu. Tianmu Mountains (30.341477, 119.427892), Zhejiang, elev. 1190 m (3,900 ft.), May. (Craig Brelsford)Race similis has an almost completely yellow bill. Occurs southwest Sichuan, northwest and western Yunnan, and northern Burma. Gaoligong Mountains (25.296898, 98.797730), Yunnan, February. (Craig Brelsford)For nesting Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler builds ‘a bulky crude dome with entrance at side or near top,’ usually less than a meter off the ground (Collar and Robson). P. r. nigrostellatus, Jianfengling National Forest Park, Hainan, February. (Craig Brelsford)
Streak-breasted Scimitar BabblerP. r. styani, song, Dutou (29.173768, 117.841748), Jiangxi, elev. 60 m (200 ft.), November, by Craig Brelsford (0:17; 3 MB)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
MacKinnon, John. Guide to the Birds of China. Oxford University Press, 2022.
Collar, N.J. and C. Robson. Species account for Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler in family Timaliidae (Babblers). P. 169 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, Spain, 2007.
