10-4-2024 VARANASI, INDIA - JUNGLE BABBLER (Turdoides striata)

Jungle babblers (Argya striata) are gregarious birds, members of the laughingthrushes family. Jungle babblers often forage in small groups of 6 to 10 individuals, and this habit has given them the popular name of "Seven Sisters" in urban Northern India, and Saath bhai (seven brothers) in Bengali, with cognates in other regional languages which also mean "seven brothers".

Jungle babblers are drably coloured in brownish grey with a yellow bill. The upper parts are usually slightly darker in shade and there is some mottling on the throat and breast. The race T. s. somervillei of Maharashtra has a very rufous tail and dark primary flight feathers.

Jungle babblers are found in the Indian subcontinent. They do not migrate and live year-round in forests in most parts of the Indian subcontinent and are often seen in gardens within large cities as well as in forested areas.

Jungle babblers are diurnal and very social birds. They live in flocks of 7 to 10 individuals or more. They are noisy, and the presence of a flock may be heard at some distance by the harsh mewing calls, continual chattering, squeaking, and chirping produced by its members. They sometimes form the core of a mixed-species foraging flock. When foraging, some birds take up a high vantage point and act as sentinels. They may also gather and mob potential predators such as snakes. The groups maintain territories and will defend them against neighbors, which are nevertheless sometimes tolerated. Birds within a group often indulge in allopreening, play chases, and mock fights. When threatened by predators, Jungle babblers have been said to sometimes feign death.

12-4-2024 VARANASI, INDIA - JUNGLE BABBLER (Turdoides striata)

Jungle babblers (Argya striata) are gregarious birds, members of the laughingthrushes family. Jungle babblers often forage in small groups of 6 to 10 individuals, and this habit has given them the popular name of "Seven Sisters" in urban Northern India, and Saath bhai (seven brothers) in Bengali, with cognates in other regional languages which also mean "seven brothers".

Jungle babblers are drably coloured in brownish grey with a yellow bill. The upper parts are usually slightly darker in shade and there is some mottling on the throat and breast. The race T. s. somervillei of Maharashtra has a very rufous tail and dark primary flight feathers.

Jungle babblers are found in the Indian subcontinent. They do not migrate and live year-round in forests in most parts of the Indian subcontinent and are often seen in gardens within large cities as well as in forested areas.

Jungle babblers are diurnal and very social birds. They live in flocks of 7 to 10 individuals or more. They are noisy, and the presence of a flock may be heard at some distance by the harsh mewing calls, continual chattering, squeaking, and chirping produced by its members. They sometimes form the core of a mixed-species foraging flock. When foraging, some birds take up a high vantage point and act as sentinels. They may also gather and mob potential predators such as snakes. The groups maintain territories and will defend them against neighbors, which are nevertheless sometimes tolerated. Birds within a group often indulge in allopreening, play chases, and mock fights. When threatened by predators, Jungle babblers have been said to sometimes feign death.

15-4-2024 KHAJURAHO, INDIA - JUNGLE BABBLER (Turdoides striata)

Jungle babblers (Argya striata) are gregarious birds, members of the laughingthrushes family. Jungle babblers often forage in small groups of 6 to 10 individuals, and this habit has given them the popular name of "Seven Sisters" in urban Northern India, and Saath bhai (seven brothers) in Bengali, with cognates in other regional languages which also mean "seven brothers".

Jungle babblers are drably coloured in brownish grey with a yellow bill. The upper parts are usually slightly darker in shade and there is some mottling on the throat and breast. The race T. s. somervillei of Maharashtra has a very rufous tail and dark primary flight feathers.

Jungle babblers are found in the Indian subcontinent. They do not migrate and live year-round in forests in most parts of the Indian subcontinent and are often seen in gardens within large cities as well as in forested areas.

Jungle babblers are diurnal and very social birds. They live in flocks of 7 to 10 individuals or more. They are noisy, and the presence of a flock may be heard at some distance by the harsh mewing calls, continual chattering, squeaking, and chirping produced by its members. They sometimes form the core of a mixed-species foraging flock. When foraging, some birds take up a high vantage point and act as sentinels. They may also gather and mob potential predators such as snakes. The groups maintain territories and will defend them against neighbors, which are nevertheless sometimes tolerated. Birds within a group often indulge in allopreening, play chases, and mock fights. When threatened by predators, Jungle babblers have been said to sometimes feign death.

Jungle babblers breed throughout the year, with peak breeding in northern India being noted between March-April and July-September. Jungle babblers build their nest halfway up in a tree, concealed in dense masses of foliage. The female typically lays a clutch of 3-4 (but can be up to 7) deep greenish-blue eggs. Helpers assist the parents in feeding the young. When the chicks fledge young females tend to leave their natal group after about 2 years. Jungle babblers become reproductively mature and start to breed after their third year of life. 

26-4-2024 KANHA,INDIA - JUNGLE BABBLER (Turdoides striata)

 Jungle babblers (Argya striata) are gregarious birds, members of the laughingthrushes family. Jungle babblers often forage in small groups of 6 to 10 individuals, and this habit has given them the popular name of "Seven Sisters" in urban Northern India, and Saath bhai (seven brothers) in Bengali, with cognates in other regional languages which also mean "seven brothers".

Jungle babblers are drably coloured in brownish grey with a yellow bill. The upper parts are usually slightly darker in shade and there is some mottling on the throat and breast. The race T. s. somervillei of Maharashtra has a very rufous tail and dark primary flight feathers.

Jungle babblers are drably coloured in brownish grey with a yellow bill. The upper parts are usually slightly darker in shade and there is some mottling on the throat and breast. The race T. s. somervillei of Maharashtra has a very rufous tail and dark primary flight feathers.

24-4-24 KANHA, INDIA - JUNGLE BABBLER (Turdoides striata)

Jungle babblers (Argya striata) are gregarious birds, members of the laughingthrushes family. Jungle babblers often forage in small groups of 6 to 10 individuals, and this habit has given them the popular name of "Seven Sisters" in urban Northern India, and Saath bhai (seven brothers) in Bengali, with cognates in other regional languages which also mean "seven brothers".

Jungle babblers are drably coloured in brownish grey with a yellow bill. The upper parts are usually slightly darker in shade and there is some mottling on the throat and breast. The race T. s. somervillei of Maharashtra has a very rufous tail and dark primary flight feathers.

Jungle babblers (Argya striata) are gregarious birds, members of the laughingthrushes family. Jungle babblers often forage in small groups of 6 to 10 individuals, and this habit has given them the popular name of "Seven Sisters" in urban Northern India, and Saath bhai (seven brothers) in Bengali, with cognates in other regional languages which also mean "seven brothers".

Jungle babblers are drably coloured in brownish grey with a yellow bill. The upper parts are usually slightly darker in shade and there is some mottling on the throat and breast. The race T. s. somervillei of Maharashtra has a very rufous tail and dark primary flight feathers.

10-4-2024 VARANASI, INDIA - JUNGLE BABBLER (Argya striata)

 

Jungle babblers (Argya striata) are gregarious birds, members of the laughingthrushes family. Jungle babblers often forage in small groups of 6 to 10 individuals, and this habit has given them the popular name of "Seven Sisters" in urban Northern India, and Saath bhai (seven brothers) in Bengali, with cognates in other regional languages which also mean "seven brothers".

Jungle babblers are drably coloured in brownish grey with a yellow bill. The upper parts are usually slightly darker in shade and there is some mottling on the throat and breast. The race T. s. somervillei of Maharashtra has a very rufous tail and dark primary flight feathers.

3-3-2020 KANHA NAT PARK, INDIA - JUNGLE BABBLER (Turdoides striata)

The Jungle Babbler (Argya striata) is a bird of the Leiothrichidae family, native to the Indian subcontinent. It is a robust, non-migratory species with a general drab brownish-grey plumage and a distinctive yellow bill. Both sexes appear similar, and the bird is often seen in groups, which has led to its colloquial name "Seven Sisters" or "Seven Brothers" in various regional languages.

To identify the Jungle Babbler, look for its brownish-grey coloration, with the upper parts being slightly darker. The throat and breast may show some mottling. The yellow bill is a key distinguishing feature. The subspecies T. s. somervillei has a rufous tail and dark primary flight feathers. The Jungle Babbler can be differentiated from the White-headed Babbler by its dark loreal zone and the absence of a contrasting light crown. Its nasal calls are also distinct from the high-pitched calls of the White-headed Babbler.

The Jungle Babbler is commonly found in forests and areas of cultivation. It adapts well to urban environments and can be frequently observed in gardens within large cities.

This species is widespread across the Indian subcontinent, with several subspecies occupying geographically isolated regions. It ranges from the northern parts of India, extending to Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bhutan, Assam, Odisha, and northeastern Andhra Pradesh.

Jungle Babblers are highly social and gregarious, often found in flocks of seven to ten birds or more. They are known for their noisy demeanor, characterized by harsh mewing calls, chattering, squeaking, and chirping. They exhibit territorial behavior, defending their area against neighboring groups. These birds also display sentinel behavior while foraging and are known to mob predators such as snakes.

The Jungle Babbler's calls are harsh and nasal, a cacophony that often betrays the presence of a flock.

Breeding occurs throughout the year, with peaks observed between March–April and July–September in northern India. The nest is built within dense foliage, and the clutch typically consists of three to four deep greenish-blue eggs. The species is known to be parasitized by the Pied Crested Cuckoo and sometimes by the Common Hawk-Cuckoo.

The diet of the Jungle Babbler includes insects, grains, nectar, and berries. They play a significant role in the ecosystem by controlling insect populations.

6-3-2020 KANHA NAT PARK, INDIA - JUNGLE BABBLER (Turdoides striata)

9-3-2020 PERIYAR RIVER LODGE, INDIA - JUNGLE BABBLER (Turdoides striata)

Jungle babblers (Argya striata) are gregarious birds, members of the laughingthrushes family. Jungle babblers often forage in small groups of 6 to 10 individuals, and this habit has given them the popular name of "Seven Sisters" in urban Northern India, and Saath bhai (seven brothers) in Bengali, with cognates in other regional languages which also mean "seven brothers".

Jungle babblers are drably coloured in brownish grey with a yellow bill. The upper parts are usually slightly darker in shade and there is some mottling on the throat and breast. The race T. s. somervillei of Maharashtra has a very rufous tail and dark primary flight feathers.

Jungle babblers are found in the Indian subcontinent. They do not migrate and live year-round in forests in most parts of the Indian subcontinent and are often seen in gardens within large cities as well as in forested areas.

Jungle babblers are diurnal and very social birds. They live in flocks of 7 to 10 individuals or more. They are noisy, and the presence of a flock may be heard at some distance by the harsh mewing calls, continual chattering, squeaking, and chirping produced by its members. They sometimes form the core of a mixed-species foraging flock. When foraging, some birds take up a high vantage point and act as sentinels. They may also gather and mob potential predators such as snakes. The groups maintain territories and will defend them against neighbors, which are nevertheless sometimes tolerated. Birds within a group often indulge in allopreening, play chases, and mock fights. When threatened by predators, Jungle babblers have been said to sometimes feign death.