Moustached Babbler

Scientific Name: Malacopteron magnirostre
Malay Name: Kekicau-Cangkuk Bermisai
Chinese Name: 须树鹛

Range:
Found from the Thai-Malay Peninsula to Sumatra and Borneo

Taxonomy:
Polytypic. Subspecies are: magnirostre, cinereocapilla.

Local Subspecies: magnirostre

Size: 16.5-18 cm

Identification:
Adult has rather uniform olive-brown crown and mantle, greyish head-sides, distinctive dark moustachial stripe, whitish underparts with vague streaking across breast and strongly rufescent tail. Juvenile has indistinct moustachial and pinkish lower mandible.

Similar looking species: Abbott's Babbler, Short-tailed Babbler

Habitat: Forest

Behaviour/Ecology: Forages at the lower mid-stratum and understorey of forests.

Local Status: Very rare resident. Possibly extirpated.

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Featured articles:

• Extinction – what it means for birds in Singapore (Science)
• Local extinctions of Singapore birds (Science)

Past accepted records in our database:

Moustached Babbler at Panti Forest. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Moustached Babbler at Taman Negara. Photo Credit: Francis Yap

Moustached Babbler at Taman Negara. Photo Credit: Francis Yap