The Yellow-eyed Babbler (Chrysomma sinense) is a small, charming passerine bird, measuring approximately 18 centimeters in length. It is characterized by its brown upperparts and cinnamon-colored wings, with a distinctive white supercilium and lores. The eye rim is a striking orange-yellow in adults, and the beak is a stark black. The underparts are a pale whitish buff, and the bird sports a long, graduated tail, with central feathers about twice the length of the outermost. In the field, males and females are similar and cannot be easily distinguished.
When identifying the Yellow-eyed Babbler, look for the white supercilium and lores, the orange-yellow eye rim, and the black beak. The bird's long tail and the coloration of the wings and upperparts are also key features. The subspecies vary slightly in plumage and bill structure, with the Sri Lankan subspecies having black nostrils and a stouter bill, while the Indian subspecies is paler with yellow nostrils.
This species is typically found in grassy or thorny scrublands, both in arid and moist regions, as well as agricultural landscapes. It prefers the plains but can also be found in lower hills up to an elevation of 1200 meters.
The Yellow-eyed Babbler's range extends from Pakistan through India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka to Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and China.
