Kingdom Animalia Class Aves Family Leiothrichidae Rank Species | Phylum Chordata Order Passeriformes Scientific name Trochalopteron formosum | |
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Genus Trochalopteron (disputed) Similar Red‑tailed laughingthrush, Scaly laughingthrush, Trochalopteron, Spot‑breasted laughingthrush, Barred laughingthrush | ||
Red winged laughingthrushes feeding their chicks in my aviary
The red-winged laughingthrush (Trochalopteron formosum) is a bird species in the family Leiothrichidae.
The plumage is mostly brown with large areas of red in the wings and tail. The crown and ear-coverts are grey with dark streaks and the throat is dark. The bill and feet are blackish. It has a loud, whistling song and is 27 to 28 centimetres long. The red-tailed laughingthrush is similar but has a rufous crown and greyer back and breast.
It is found in south-west China (Sichuan, Yunnan and Guangxi provinces) and north-west Vietnam. It inhabits forest, secondary growth, scrub and bamboo from 900 to 3000 metres above sea level. It is an elusive bird which travels in pairs or small groups in dense cover near the forest floor. Little is known about its reproductive habits but in China breeding takes place during June and July.
There have been a number of records of the species on the Isle of Man since 1995 after some birds escaped from captivity. They have bred in the wild since 1996 but the population is not yet considered to be established.