White-chested Babbler

Scientific Name: Pellorneum rostratum
Malay Name: Kekicau-Telunjuk Dada Putih
Chinese Name: 白胸雅鹛

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

Taxonomy:
Polytypic. Subspecies are: rostratum, macropterum.

Local Subspecies: rostratum

Size: 15-16.5 cm

Identification:
Adult has narrow bill, cold brown upperparts and clean white underparts with grey-washed breast-side. Juvenile looks similar to adult.

Habitat: Forest, swamp forest and mangroves.

Behaviour/Ecology: Feeds on small invertebrates taken from the forest floor, mainly in wet areas.

Local Status: Rare resident

Conservation Status: Near Threatened (BirdLife International 2016)

Location: Former resident on Singapore island and Pulau Ubin, now extirpated. An uncommon resident at suitable habitats in Pulau Tekong.

Photos:

White-chested Babbler from Panti Bird Sanctuary. Photo credit: Con Foley

White-chested Babbler from Panti Bird Sanctuary. Photo credit: Con Foley

White-chested Babbler from Panti Bird Sanctuary. Photo credit: Alan Ng

White-chested Babbler from Panti Bird Sanctuary. Photo credit: Chris Li

White-chested Babbler from Panti Bird Sanctuary. Photo credit: Chris Li

Screen capture of a White-chested Babbler from a video at Pulau Tekong. Photo Credit: Albert Low

External Links:
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Photos: Oriental Bird Images
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link

References:
BirdLife International. (2016). Trichastoma rostratum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. Downloaded on 2 September 2021
Robson, C. (2008). A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia. New Holland Publishers.
Wells, D. (1999). Birds of Thai-Malay Peninsula. Academic Press.