Large Grey Babbler
Encyclopedia
The Large Grey Babbler, Turdoides malcolmi, is an Old World babbler
found in India. They are locally common in the scrub, open forest and gardenland. They are usually seen in small groups and are easily distinguished from other babblers in the region by their nasal call and the whitish outer feathers to their long tail. It is one of the largest babblers in the region.
This long-tailed and large babbler has a brown body with creamy white outer tail feathers which are easily visible as they fly with fluttery wing beats low over the ground. The lores are dark and forehead is grey with white shaft streaks on the feathers. The rump and uppertail covers are pale grey. The mantle has dusky blotches and no shaft streaks. The three outer tail feathers are white and the fourth pair has the outer web white. The wings are darker brown. The iris is yellow and the upper mandible is dark brown while the lower mandible is yellowish. The tail is faintly cross barred. Abnormal specimens showing albinism or leucism have been reported.
The species was first described from the Deccan Plateau
region. The scientific name was given by Colonel W H Sykes
in appreciation of support that he received from Major-General Sir John Malcolm
.
, south of the Himalayas
, east of the Thar desert until Bihar
. The species is not found in Kerala and records from the Sind area are not confirmed. It is found mainly in open dry scrub forest and cultivated areas. It is not found in the eastern dry zone of Tamil Nadu, however an exhausted specimen has been observed in Pondicherry.
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The species is found in small flocks which keep in contact with loud nasal calls. Members of the flock may join in defending against predators. Individuals may also mob their own reflections. They are mostly seen in open scrub country where they forage on or close to the ground. They hop and leap on the ground in search of prey. Individuals in a group may indulge in play behaviour. They feed mainly on insects but also feed on small lizards, molluscs and arachnids. They also feed on seeds, grains and berries. They are found in gardens within some cities such as Pune
and Ahmedabad
. In other cities such as Bangalore
, they are seen only on the outskirts of the expanding urban zone.
They are known to breed through the year but mainly during the rainy season from March to September. The usual clutch is four eggs. The nest is a shallow cup placed in a shrub often of thorny species. Their nests are parasitized by the Pied Cuckoo and the Common Hawk-cuckoo
. It has been suggested that more than one female may lay eggs in a single nest and help in incubation, however this has not been verified.
Although secure with a wide distribution, some local populations are threatened by hunting for meat. An endoparasitic cestodes Vogea vestibularis has been described from this species.
Old World babbler
The Old World babblers or timaliids are a large family of mostly Old World passerine birds. They are rather diverse in size and coloration, but are characterised by soft fluffy plumage. These are birds of tropical areas, with the greatest variety in Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent...
found in India. They are locally common in the scrub, open forest and gardenland. They are usually seen in small groups and are easily distinguished from other babblers in the region by their nasal call and the whitish outer feathers to their long tail. It is one of the largest babblers in the region.
Description
The species was first described from the Deccan Plateau
Deccan Plateau
The Deccan Plateau is a large plateau in India, making up the majority of the southern part of the country. It rises a hundred meters high in the north, rising further to more than a kilometers high in the south, forming a raised triangle nested within the familiar downward-pointing triangle of...
region. The scientific name was given by Colonel W H Sykes
William Henry Sykes
Colonel William Henry Sykes, FRS was an Indian Army officer, politician and ornithologist.Sykes was born near Bradford in Yorkshire, and joined the Bombay Army, a part of the armed forces of the Honourable East India Company, in 1804, returning to Britain in 1837...
in appreciation of support that he received from Major-General Sir John Malcolm
John Malcolm
Major-general Sir John Malcolm was a Scottish soldier, statesman, and historian-Early life:Born at Burnfoot, Dumfriesshire, Malcolm was the son of George Malcolm, a gentleman farmer of Eskdale and Burnfoot. Jock, as he was then known, was one of the four Malcolm brothers who attained knighthoods...
.
Distribution and habitat
Found throughout the Indian subcontinentIndian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
, south of the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
, east of the Thar desert until Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
. The species is not found in Kerala and records from the Sind area are not confirmed. It is found mainly in open dry scrub forest and cultivated areas. It is not found in the eastern dry zone of Tamil Nadu, however an exhausted specimen has been observed in Pondicherry.
Behaviour and ecology
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
and Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
. In other cities such as Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, they are seen only on the outskirts of the expanding urban zone.
They are known to breed through the year but mainly during the rainy season from March to September. The usual clutch is four eggs. The nest is a shallow cup placed in a shrub often of thorny species. Their nests are parasitized by the Pied Cuckoo and the Common Hawk-cuckoo
Common Hawk-cuckoo
The Common Hawk-Cuckoo , popularly known as the Brainfever bird, is a medium sized cuckoo resident in South Asia. It bears a close resemblance to the Shikra, a sparrow hawk, even in its style of flying and landing on a perch...
. It has been suggested that more than one female may lay eggs in a single nest and help in incubation, however this has not been verified.
Although secure with a wide distribution, some local populations are threatened by hunting for meat. An endoparasitic cestodes Vogea vestibularis has been described from this species.
Other sources
- Gupta, R. C. Midha, M. (1997) Breeding Biology of Large Grey Babbler, Turdoides malcolmi. Geobios (Jodhpur, India) 24(4):214-218.
- Gupta,RC; Midha, Meenu (1995) Drinking and bathing behaviour of Large Grey Babbler Turdoides malcolmi (Sykes). Zoos' Print 10(5):23.
- Gupta,RC; Midha, Meenu (1994) Observations on the behaviour of Large Grey Babbler, Turdoides malcolmi (Sykes). Cheetal 33(2):42-51.