Chestnut-crowned Babbler vs White-browed Babbler

Chestnut-crowned Babbler

Pomatostomus ruficeps

Small58 gShrubland

Chestnut-crowned babblers are dark, brown-grey birds with a white throat and breast, white-tipped tail and a long, black, down-curved bill. Wings are short and rounded and the tail is long with a rounded tip. Diagnostic features include two white wing bars and a rich, chestnut crown highlighted by long, white eyebrows. The birds have dark brown eyes and grey legs, while the wings, back and flanks are brown-grey to mottled dusky on the mantle. The white of the throat and breast is well-defined and narrower than that of the similar, white-browed babbler (Pomatostomus superciliosus). Voice: The birds have a strident, irregular but melodious territorial song, similar to the piping of the little eagle (Hieraaetus morphnoides), emitted from the top of a tall mulga tree or similar vantage point. There is constant chattering among members of the group, including whistling calls intermixed with tchak-tchak-tchak, which becomes louder and more frequent when excited, quarrelling or alarmed.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Zara · CC BY 4.0

White-browed Babbler

Pomatostomus superciliosus

Small42 gForest

Ranging from 17 cm to 21 cm in length, the white-browed babbler is the smallest of the Australian babblers. It is a medium-sized terrestrial bird with a long and decurved bill. The wings are short and rounded in shape, adjacent to a plump, full body which is similar but slightly smaller than the chestnut-crowned or Hall's babbler. The tail is long and graduated, ending with a rounded tip. The gregarious nature of this species means that the tail is often fanned, raised, or a mix of the two. Voice: The most common call heard is a low repeated 'chuck' call, which is thought to be a contact call while foraging. The long-distance call consists of chattering 'mee' sounds repeated three or more times, followed by whistled 'wee-aw' which rises in pitch.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: finch_fanatic · CC0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Chestnut-crowned Babbler and White-browed Babbler.