Rusty Laughingthrush (Pterorhinus poecilorhynchus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Rusty Laughingthrush

Pterorhinus poecilorhynchus (Gould, 1863)

≈25 cmLength72 gWeight

This laughingthrush is endemic to Taiwan (China) and inhabits moist mountain forests.

Busiest months: May–June · Most records: China

Looks like Buffy Laughingthrush

Least Concern

How to identify

Field marks

  1. Gray belly, darker than in the mainland Buffy Laughingthrush
  2. Reddish-brown on the wings is less contrasting
  3. Narrower white tips to the tail feathers
  4. Lores lack the distinct black of the mainland species

Similar species

Buffy Laughingthrush
Buffy Laughingthrush

Buffy Laughingthrush has a paler gray belly, more conspicuous reddish-brown on the wings, broader white at the tail tip and distinct black lores.

Where and when it's recorded

Rusty Laughingthrush has been recorded at 9 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Nantou – Xitou Nature Education AreaTaiwan (China)244 records
  2. Dasyueshan IBA – Dasyueshan Forest-Road 23.5KTaiwan (China)102 records
  3. Nantou – Meifeng Highland Experimental Farm of NTUTaiwan (China)86 records
More places
  1. Dasyueshan IBA – Hengliu Creek (15K)Taiwan (China)43 records
  2. Taipei – WulaiTaiwan (China)19 records
  3. Taipei – Xindian SikanshuiTaiwan (China)18 records
  4. Dasyueshan IBA – Xiaoxueshan Lodge (50K)Taiwan (China)9 records
  5. Yushan NP – TatakaTaiwan (China)4 records
  6. Zhu'an IBA – Kongzhonglaoyu/WangtongwenTaiwan (China)1 record

Countries and regions with the most records

China

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The rusty laughingthrush (Pterorhinus poecilorhynchus) is a species of bird in the family Leiothrichidae. It is endemic to Taiwan (China). It formerly included the buffy laughingthrush of mainland China as a subspecies.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Rusty Laughingthrush?

The Rusty Laughingthrush is about ≈25 cm long and weighs around 72 g.

Where does the Rusty Laughingthrush live?

Its breeding range: Oriental: Taiwan (China). It is most often recorded in China.

When is the best time to see the Rusty Laughingthrush?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in May and June (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Rusty Laughingthrush endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Rusty Laughingthrush as Least Concern.

What does the Rusty Laughingthrush eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Rusty Laughingthrush in?

It belongs to the family Laughingthrushes & Allies (Leiothrichidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length
≈25 cm
Weight
72 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Omnivore
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
108 mm
Tail
121 mm
Bill
26 mm
Tarsus
40 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Oriental: Taiwan (China)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Laughingthrushes & Allies Leiothrichidae
Genus
Pterorhinus

Other birds in the genus Pterorhinus

Wayanad LaughingthrushWayanad LaughingthrushPterorhinus delessertiRufous-vented LaughingthrushRufous-vented LaughingthrushPterorhinus gularisWhite-cheeked LaughingthrushWhite-cheeked LaughingthrushPterorhinus vassaliYellow-throated LaughingthrushYellow-throated LaughingthrushPterorhinus galbanusBlue-crowned LaughingthrushBlue-crowned LaughingthrushPterorhinus courtoisiChestnut-capped LaughingthrushChestnut-capped LaughingthrushPterorhinus mitratusChestnut-hooded LaughingthrushChestnut-hooded LaughingthrushPterorhinus treacheriRufous-necked LaughingthrushRufous-necked LaughingthrushPterorhinus ruficollisChestnut-backed LaughingthrushChestnut-backed LaughingthrushPterorhinus nuchalisBlack-throated LaughingthrushBlack-throated LaughingthrushPterorhinus chinensisWhite-browed LaughingthrushWhite-browed LaughingthrushPterorhinus sannioMasked LaughingthrushMasked LaughingthrushPterorhinus perspicillatus
Rusty Laughingthrush

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