SONG-BABBLER

any of about 140 bird species of the babbler family Timaliidae (order Passeriformes). Also called laughing-thrushes, from a major subgroup, song-babblers are found in tropical Africa and Asia. They include all the brightly coloured timaliids. About 10 to 30 cm (4 to 12 inches) long, they have strong bills and some have rather long tails. They stay under cover but are detected by their songs of quick phrases. Typical song-babblers are the 26 species of the genus Turdoides. The common babbler (T. caudatus), found from Iraq eastward across India, is 23 cm (9 inches) long, brown, and long-tailed; small parties feed on the ground in scrublands, uttering low warbling sounds. The pied babbler (T. bicolor), 21 cm (8 inches) long, of southwestern Africa, is white, with black wings and tail; it is very inquisitive. See also laughing thrush.