Chestnut-capped Babbler

The chestnut-capped babbler (Timalia pileata) is a passerine bird of the family Timaliidae. It is monotypic within the genus Timalia. == Taxonomy == The chestnut-capped babbler is placed as the sole species in the genus Timalia. It is divided into six subspecies with the following distribution: T. p. bengalensis – lower Himalayas (Nepal, Assam and northwestern Myanmar) T. p. smithi – northern Myanmar to southern China, northern Thailand and northern Indochina T. p. intermedia – central and southern Myanmar to southwestern Thailand T. p. patriciae – western part of the central plains of Thailand T. p. dictator – eastern and southeastern Thailand to southern Indochina T. p. pileata – Java === Related species === This species is most closely related to the two Indian species, the tawny-bellied babbler and the dark-fronted babbler. Together they form a sister group to the rest of the species in the family Timaliidae. == Description == The chestnut-capped babbler is a medium-sized (15.5–17 cm) babbler with a fairly long, wedge-shaped tail and a thick, black bill. The plumage is unbarred brown with characteristic head markings: a chestnut-coloured crown and black eye mask contrasting with a white forehead and white eyebrow line. == Ecology == ===…