Black-crowned Barwing
Actinodura sodangorum
The Black-crowned Barwing (Actinodura sodangorum) is a legendary laughingthrush found in 2 countries, weighing about 38 g. The black-crowned barwing is a non-migratory bird from Indochina in the family Leiothrichidae.
About the Black-crowned Barwing
The black-crowned barwing is a non-migratory bird from Indochina in the family Leiothrichidae. The genus name Actinodura is from Ancient Greek meaning "ray-like tail", while the specific epithet sodangorum is from the Xo Dang tribe which lives in Ngoc Linh and other areas in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos where black-crowned barwings are found.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The black-crowned barwing is the only bird in the genus Actinodura to have a black crown. The transverse barring on the wings (wingbars) and the crest are characteristic of the genus. The sexes are similar in appearance. It has a grey head and nape, black crown and lore (space between eye and beak), white eye rings, dark brown irises, and dark beak with a flesh coloured tip. The throat is streaked with black-brown on a base of rufous-orange that matches the breast and belly area. Voice: Most observations were of singing birds since they are easily identified through song and were responsive to playbacks, which was a commonly used technique. They call the most in early morning, decreasing through the day, which could be caused by rainfall reducing their activity.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: February, March, April, May, December, with peak activity in March. It is a passage migrant species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Black-crowned Barwing?
- The black-crowned barwing is the only bird in the genus Actinodura to have a black crown. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Black-crowned Barwing?
- The Black-crowned Barwing is a small sized bird weighing about 38 g.
- Where can you see a Black-crowned Barwing?
- The Black-crowned Barwing occurs in 2 countries, including Laos and Vietnam.
- What birds look similar to a Black-crowned Barwing?
- The Black-crowned Barwing is most easily confused with the Streaked Barwing, the Streak-throated Barwing and the Spectacled Barwing.
- Is the Black-crowned Barwing endangered?
- The Black-crowned Barwing is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Black-crowned Barwing for real
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