large grey babbler by Pratim Das

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PAKHI DEKHUN PAKHI CHINUN # 355 (Observe the Bird and recognize)..LARGE GREY BABBLER...[From a Photograph of DARASHAN PARIKH] ....WATERCOLOUR...A4...2014... The Large Grey Babbler (Turdoides malcolmi) is a member of the Leiothrichidae family found in India. They are locally common in the scrub, open forest and gardenland. They are usually seen in small groups and are easily distinguished from other babblers in the region by their nasal call and the whitish outer feathers to their long tail. It is one of the largest babblers in the region. This long-tailed and large babbler has a brown body with creamy white outer tail feathers which are easily visible as they fly with fluttery wing beats low over the ground. The lores are dark and forehead is grey with white shaft streaks on the feathers. The rump and uppertail covers are pale grey. The mantle has dusky blotches and no shaft streaks. The three outer tail feathers are white and the fourth pair has the outer web white. The wings are darker brown. The iris is yellow and the upper mandible is dark brown while the lower mandible is yellowish. Found throughout the Indian subcontinent, south of the Himalayas, east of the Thar desert until Bihar. The species is not found in Kerala and records from the Sind area are not confirmed. It is found mainly in open dry scrub forest and cultivated areas. It is not found in the eastern dry zone of Tamil Nadu, however an exhausted specimen has been observed in Pondicherry. They feed mainly on insects but also feed on small lizards, molluscs and arachnids. They also feed on seeds, grains and berries.[INFO : WIKIPEDIA]