Malaysian Birds - Black Laughingthrush

Size & diagnostic markings:- 27 Cm.

 This bird from the undergrowth of the Montane forest can sometimes be heard but hardly seen. It does move along the lower storey near to the forest floor alone by itself. Or sometimes in a flock with its own species or joining the Chestnut-capped in a bird wave. During this time, the birds would be passing through the middle storey.  The bird has a blackish plumage and uniform in the upper part and under part. Diagnostic markings would be bluish-white skin around the eyes and the orange-red bills. The bird not only measure larger in size but also appear stockier.

The Black Laughingthrush is also a large bird at 27 cm and also a resident of Sumatra. This is a bird of the sub-montane forest. A very shy bird which sometimes goes with the flock of Chestnut-capped but usually alone in the undergrowth. Had seen the bird in a flock of 8 birds as well.

There is a proposal to start a new genus Melanocichla for this bird and a new name Melanocichla lugubris

This is a very shy bird that is often heard but seldom seen. Its presence could be detected by the calls or watch carefully at a marauding flock of Laughingthrushes. In fact they should be available where the other Laughingthrushes are. Places like Awana, Fraser's Hills and even The Gap. Unlike the Chestnut-capped, this bird was seen on few occasions moving alone on its own. There were times when the bird, again, alone in the group of Chestnut-capped bird. More often than not when the bird was spotted alone, it was on the lower storey of the low scrubs. Have seen the bird walking on the ground. Not surprising that the Black Laughingthrush do behave like a ground bird as well.

Unlike the Chestnut-capped, the bird do not appear in the open when humans are detected, it would move swiftly into hiding. Then in times when the bird was moving with a flock of Chestnut-capped. it takes attention and focus to differentiate this bird from the rest of the group as I did not expect to have it together with them.

Black Laughingthrush's picture No. 1

Black Laughingthrush's picture No. 2

Black Laughingthrush's picture No. 3

Black Laughingthrush's picture No. 4

Black Laughingthrush's picture No. 5

Black Laughingthrush's picture No. 6

Black Laughingthrush's picture No. 7

Black Laughingthrush's picture No. 8

Black Laughingthrush's picture No. 9

In Malaysia, where can the bird be found:- Had spotted the bird in sub-montane and just below sub-montane forest of Awana, and The Gap. Heard but not spotted as far up as Gunong Ulu Kali