Turdoides nipalensis
The Spiny Babbler (Turdoides nipalensis) is a medium-sized babbler, measuring approximately 25-26 cm (10-10.2 inches) in length and weighing around 50-60 grams (1.8-2.1 ounces). Its plumage is predominantly dull olive-brown, heavily streaked with dark brown on the crown, mantle, and breast, giving it a distinctive 'spiny' or shaggy appearance. Key field marks include a pale supercilium contrasting with dark lores, a dark bill, and dull yellowish-brown legs. This species exhibits no significan...
This babbler thrives in dense, tangled scrub, secondary growth, thorny bushes, and riverine thickets, often at forest edges or in areas disturbed by human activity. It is found in the mid-hills of Nepal, typically between 75 and 1800 meters in elevation.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on insects, their larvae, and other small invertebrates, supplemented with small fruits and seeds. Forages by gleaning from foliage and ground debris within dense cover.
The Spiny Babbler is a highly secretive and diurnal bird, preferring to skulk deep within dense vegetation, making it more often heard than seen. It typically forages on the ground or in low shrubs, gleaning insects, larvae, and sometimes small fruits or seeds from foliage and detritus. Individua...
The Spiny Babbler is exclusively found within the borders of Nepal, making it a strict endemic. Its distribution spans the country's mid-hills and lower elevations, primarily between 75 meters and 1800 meters above sea level. Key population centers include the Kathmandu Valley, particularly sites...
Least Concern
- The Spiny Babbler is the only bird species endemic to Nepal, making it a national ornithological treasure. - It was 'lost' to science for over a century, having been described in 1836 but not reliably recorded again until its rediscovery in 1947 by Sidney Dillon Ripley. - Its common name, 'Spin...