Red-winged Laughingthrush
Trochalopteron formosum
红翅噪鹛
Introduction
A bird species in the family Leiothrichidae. Found in southwest China (Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guangxi provinces) and northwest Vietnam. Inhabits forest, secondary growth, scrub, and bamboo from 900 to 3,000 meters elevation. An elusive species that travels in pairs or small groups in dense cover near the forest floor. Little is known about its reproductive habits, though breeding in China occurs during June and July.
Description
A medium-sized babbler approximately 27 to 28 centimeters long. The plumage is predominantly brown with extensive red coloration in the wings and tail. The crown and ear-coverts are grey with dark streaking. The throat is dark. The bill and feet are blackish.
Identification
Similar to the red-tailed laughingthrush but distinguished by its grey crown (rather than rufous) and overall different coloring on the back and breast compared to that species.
Distribution & Habitat
Restricted to southwest China, specifically Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guangxi provinces, and northwest Vietnam. Inhabits forest, secondary growth, scrub, and bamboo stands from 900 to 3,000 meters above sea level. A small introduced population briefly established on the Isle of Man after ten individuals were imported in 1990, with wild breeding confirmed in 1996; this population persisted until approximately 2005 and is now considered extirpated.
Behavior & Ecology
Possesses a loud, whistling song. An elusive species that typically moves through dense vegetation in pairs or small groups near the forest floor. Breeding occurs during June and July in China, though detailed reproductive habits remain poorly documented.
Conservation
No IUCN assessment is provided in available sources. A small introduced population on the Isle of Man was monitored from 1995 until the last confirmed sighting in July 2005, with the population believed to have died out by 2017.
Culture
No cultural or folklore information is provided in available sources.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Leiothrichidae
- Genus
- Trochalopteron
- eBird Code
- rewlau1
Subspecies (2)
-
Trochalopteron formosum formosum
southwestern China (southwestern Sichuan, northeastern Yunnan, and southern Guangxi)
-
Trochalopteron formosum greenwayi
northern Tonkin (Fan Si Pan Mountains)
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.