Everything you need to know about this bird with a dramatically elongated bill
What gives the Slender-billed scimitar babbler its name?
Its long, thin, curved bill resembles a scimitar — the curved sword historically used across West Asia and North Africa.
How big is it?
The slender-billed scimitar babbler weighs 27-30 g and measures about 20 cm in length.
How many subspecies exist?
Four — superciliaris, intextus, forresti, and rothschildi.
Where is it found?
Across the Central and Eastern Himalayas — Nepal, Bhutan, India, China, and Myanmar. In India, it's seen in the hills of Eastern Arunachal, East Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram, and it also ranges into Northeast Myanmar, South China (Yunnan), and Vietnam.
What habitat does it prefer?
Dense undergrowth and shrubs in mixed forests, bamboo, stunted oak, and rhododendron — from 600 m to 3,500 m elevation in India, and 915 m to 2,745 m in Southeast Asia.
About the Authors
Kaushik Sarkar
is a wildlife biologist transitioning towards the world of conservation action. He currently works with The Habitats Trust primarily working on the Terai Grasslands Project.
