marsh babbler

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PAKHI DEKHUN PAKHI CHINUN # 414 (Observe the Bird and recognize)..MARSH BABBLER ...[From a Photograph of MR. DEBORSHEE GOGOI] ... WATERCOLOUR ...A4...2014... The marsh babbler (Pellorneum palustre) is a member of the Pellorneidae family. This poorly known grassland specialist is suspected to be in rapid decline as a result of the widespread loss of its tall grassland habitat. It therefore qualifies as Vulnerable. 15 cm. Dark brown babbler with blackish streaks on lower throat and breast. Uniform brown crown and upperside. White of underparts restricted to throat and centre of belly. Lower throat and breast washed rufous at sides. Sings with short phrase, introduced by harsh notes krrt trr trr wi yi-yu; trr trr wi-you; trh-trh tu-tiu and trrh-ti trrh-ti trrh-ti. Hints Listen for its distinctive song in wet grasslands. Pellorneum palustre is endemic to the Brahmaputra floodplain, its associated tributaries and adjacent hill ranges in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya, India and eastern Bangladesh (BirdLife International 2001). It is poorly known, but was formerly described as locally common. There are recent records from just five sites, at one of which it is described as common. The rapid and extensive loss and modification of tall grasslands and reedswamp throughout its limited range is the main threat. This is occurring as a result of drainage, conversion to agriculture (primarily rice-paddy, mustard and tea plantations), overgrazing by domestic livestock, harvesting of grass for thatch production, inappropriate grassland management within protected areas, damming of marshes and, recently, heavy flooding in the Brahmaputra valley caused by run-off from its increasingly denuded catchment. [INFO: BLI]