Scaly-breasted Wren-babbler at Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, India.

Scaly-breasted Wren-babbler (Pnoepyga albiventer)

French: Timalie à ventre blanc German:Himalajaschuppentimalie Spanish: Ratina Ventriblanca
 

Other common names: Eastern/Greater Scaly-breasted Wren-babbler, Scaly-breasted Wren.

Family: Timaliidae (Babblers and parrotbills)

Taxonomy:  [Tesia] Albiventer Hodgson, 1837, Ilam District, eastern Nepal.
Formerly treated as conspecific with P. formosana. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution :

• pallidior Kinnear, 1924 - N India (W Himachal Pradesh) E to WC Nepal.
• albiventer (Hodgson, 1837) - EC Nepal E to Bhutan and NE Indian hill states (except Meghalaya), S & SC China (S & SE Xizang, N & C Sichuan S to NW Yunnan), N & W Myanmar and N Vietnam (W Tonkin).

IUCN Red List Status & Threats :        

Least Concern.

Habitat & Altitude:

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Artificial/ Terrestrial	Arable lands/ Plantations/  Rural Gardens	Suitable/ Marginal	Resident
Forest	Subtropical/ Tropical Moist Lowland	Suitable	Non-breeding
Forest	Subtropical/ Tropical Moist Montane	Major	Resident
Grassland	Subtropical/ Tropical High altitude	Suitable	Resident
Shrubland	Subtropical/ Tropical High altitude	Suitable	Resident
Wetlands (inland)	Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (Includes waterfalls)	Suitable	Resident
Altitude	275 – 3900 m

About the Photograph:

On the return from Mayodia, we had a brief walk for an hour along the road, Chewang was quick to identify and spot the bird, but we would hardly see it in the dark bushes, this shot was taken at high ISO as usual, as i do not prefer to fire a flash for Bird or Wildlife photography.


References:
1. Latin Names of Indian Birds Explained - Satish Pande 
2. http://ibc.lynxeds.com
3. http://www.birdlife.org
 
Image Copyright © Prasanna Parab. Please do not use any image without prior permission from the copyright holder.

Long-billed Wren-babbler at Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, India.

Long-billed Wren-babbler 
(Rimator malacoptilus)

French: Turdinule à long bec 

German: Assamzwergsäbler 

Spanish: Ratina Picuda

Family: Timaliidae (Babblers and parrotbills)

Taxonomy: R[imator]. malacoptilus Blyth, 1847, Darjeeling, India. Formerly considered conspecific with Rimator (m.) pasquieri and Rimator (m.) albostriatus but these are now treated as separate species following Collar, N. J. (2006) A partial revision of the Asian babblers (Timaliidae). Forktail 22: 85-112.  Monotypic.

Distribution: Sikkim E to NE India (to Arunachal Pradesh; also, disjunctly to S, from Meghalaya E to Nagaland and N Manipur), N Myanmar and adjacent S China (NW Yunnan).

IUCN Red List Status & Threats :

Least Concern (Population though in a decreasing trend).

My view : Habitat destruction and fragmentation of habitats are ascertained to be the major cause for the decreasing trend of population. In the north-east the disastrous trend of slash & burn kind of cultivation prevails till date and is a major cause of concern, Someone would argue and blame the people, but frankly brings tears in my eyes when i see the kind of poverty in the North-east of India, Billions spend on ‘Corruption’ and ‘Hydel- Projects’, but none for the people. We urban people would probably never realize unless we travel in remote areas and interact with locals by speech and my mind. Hope we understand that we are the cause of their misery and act soon !!

Habitat & Altitude:

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Forest	Temparate	Major	Resident (Endemic)
Altitude	900 - 2700 m

About the Photograph:

A trip with Ipra daju (Ipra Mekola), for the Blyth’s Tragopan, the silence seemed fruitful atleast in terms of the bold appearance of the Long-billed Wren-babbler, easily the best possible views of any wren-babbler ive had till date, two birds were seen here, very very bold and very vocal indeed. The photograph would not have been possible without Chewang Bonpo.

References:
1. Latin Names of Indian Birds Explained - Satish Pande 
2. http://ibc.lynxeds.com
3. http://www.birdlife.org


Image Copyright © Prasanna Parab. Please do not use any image without prior permission from the copyright holder.

Bar-Winged Wren-babbler at Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, India

Bar-WingedWren-babbler (Spelaeornis troglodytoides)

French: Timalie troglodyte German: Binden-Zaunkönigstimalie Spanish: Ratina Alibarrada.

Other common names: Long-tailed Spotted Wren-babbler.

Family: Timaliidae (Babblers and parrotbills)

Taxonomy: Pnoepyga troglodytoides J. Verreaux, 1870, "les montagnes du Thibet chinois" = Muping [Paohing], south-east Xizang, China.

Seven subspecies recognized.

• sherriffi Kinnear, 1934 - E Bhutan and adjacent NE India (W Arunachal Pradesh).
• indiraji Ripley et al., 1991 - SE Arunachal Pradesh (Namdapha National Park), in NE India.
• souliei Oustalet, 1898 - NC Arunachal Pradesh (NE India) E to N Myanmar and S China (NW Yunnan W of R Salween).
• rocki Riley, 1929 - NW Yunnan (E of R Salween).
• halsueti (David, 1875) - C China (S Gansu, S Shaanxi, N & NE Sichuan).
• nanchuanensis Li Guiyuan et al., 1992 - SC China (C Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan).
• troglodytoides (J. Verreaux, 1870) - S China (SW & WC Sichuan S to extreme NE Yunnan and N Guizhou).

IUCN Red List Status & Threats :

Least Concern (Population though in a decreasing trend).

Habitat of this bird as observed seems in a bad to critical position considering the fact that, of the 7 existing subspecies only one resident of this area. Frequent landslides due to hap-hazard maintenance of roads and the Mayodia pass area by “Indian Bureaucracy” has made the landscape seem like a cold desert. Conservation alone cannot work wonders, It is planning and maintenance which also plays an important role. I just hope the trend changes soon with young blood getting in the higher ranks of bureaucracy in coming years.

Habitat & Altitude:

Habitat (level 1)	Habitat (level 2)	Importance	Occurrence
Forest	Temparate	Major	Resident (Endemic)
Altitude	1600 - 3500 m

About the Photograph:

An early morning trip to the Mayodia Pass, it was quite cold and the first rays of the sun, saw some birding activity rising. Lucky for me Chewang heard around 2-3 individuals along the road, and we followed them along the road for quite some time to make good view and images.

References:
1. Latin Names of Indian Birds Explained - Satish Pande 
2. http://ibc.lynxeds.com
3. http://www.birdlife.org


Image Copyright © Prasanna Parab. Please do not use any image without prior permission from the copyright holder.