Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus ruficollis)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler

Pomatorhinus ruficollis Hodgson, 1836

≈19 cmLength32 gWeight

The streak-breasted scimitar babbler (Pomatorhinus ruficollis) is a species of bird in the family Timaliidae.

Busiest months: December–January · Most records: China, Nepal, India

Least Concern

How to identify

Where and when it's recorded

Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler has been recorded at 471 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 7 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Tai Po Kau Nature ReserveHong Kong (China)738 records
  2. Tai Lam Country ParkHong Kong (China)601 records
  3. Pak Sha OHong Kong (China)532 records
More places
  1. Munsyari – Bheema WodeyarIndia485 records
  2. Baihualing [General Area]China470 records
  3. Pat Heung Catchwater, Tai LamHong Kong (China)434 records
  4. Lam Tsuen ValleyHong Kong (China)406 records
  5. Jianfengling NNRChina351 records
  6. Mt. Phulchowki - Lowest Few Miles of RoadNepal324 records
  7. LonghengChina252 records

Countries and regions with the most records

ChinaNepalIndiaBhutanMyanmar (Burma)VietnamLaos

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

Questions

How big is the Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler?

The Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler is about ≈19 cm long and weighs around 32 g.

Where does the Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler live?

Its breeding range: Oriental: Himalayas to southern China. It is most often recorded in China, Nepal and India.

When is the best time to see the Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler?

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

Is the Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler as Least Concern.

What does the Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler in?

It belongs to the family Babblers, Scimitar Babblers (Timaliidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length
≈19 cm
Weight
32 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Varied
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
79 mm
Tail
85 mm
Bill
22 mm
Tarsus
28 mm

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

Range

Oriental: Himalayas to southern China

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Subspecies · 10
  • Pomatorhinus ruficollis godwini e Himalayas, n Assam (ne India) and sw China
  • Pomatorhinus ruficollis similis ne Myanmar to sc China
  • Pomatorhinus ruficollis styani e China
  • Pomatorhinus ruficollis albipectus s China to n Laos
  • Pomatorhinus ruficollis laurentei nc Yunnan (s China)
  • Pomatorhinus ruficollis reconditus se Yunnan (s China) and n Vietnam
  • Pomatorhinus ruficollis hunanensis se China
  • Pomatorhinus ruficollis eidos sc China
  • Pomatorhinus ruficollis stridulus nc, e China
  • Pomatorhinus ruficollis nigrostellatus Hainan I. (off se China)

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Genus
Pomatorhinus

Other birds in the genus Pomatorhinus

Black-crowned Scimitar BabblerBlack-crowned Scimitar BabblerPomatorhinus ferruginosusBrown-crowned Scimitar BabblerBrown-crowned Scimitar BabblerPomatorhinus phayreiRed-billed Scimitar BabblerRed-billed Scimitar BabblerPomatorhinus ochraceicepsSlender-billed Scimitar BabblerSlender-billed Scimitar BabblerPomatorhinus superciliarisTaiwan Scimitar BabblerTaiwan Scimitar BabblerPomatorhinus musicusWhite-browed Scimitar BabblerWhite-browed Scimitar BabblerPomatorhinus schisticepsIndian Scimitar BabblerIndian Scimitar BabblerPomatorhinus horsfieldiiSri Lanka Scimitar BabblerSri Lanka Scimitar BabblerPomatorhinus melanurusSunda Scimitar BabblerSunda Scimitar BabblerPomatorhinus bornensisJavan Scimitar BabblerJavan Scimitar BabblerPomatorhinus montanus
Streak-breasted Scimitar Babbler

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Mildeep. ↗

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