Pin Stripped Tit Babbler  Mixornis gularis

Etymology

• Mixornis : Greek word mixis -mixed, mingling; ornis -bird.
• Gularis: Latin word gula- throat

It is a part of the old world babbler. It is also known as Yellow breasted babbler

Distribution in India: Resident in foothills of Himalayas and North East and Orissa.

Description: Size of 11–14 cm; 10–14 g. It is a small, strong-billed babbler, brown above with chestnut crown, pale yellow below with narrow black breast streaks. The nominate race has dull chestnut crown, paler on nape, and slightly paler rufescent-brown upperparts, upperwing and tail; lores are buffy, shading to grey-tinged pale yellow on supercilium and ear-coverts, these are divided by narrow brownish eyestripe. The chin, throat, submoustachial area and breast are pale yellow with sparse long blackish shaft streaks, belly is pale yellow, flanks, thighs and vent are washed olive; iris is yellowish-white to greyish-brown, orbital skin is bluish-lead; bill is slaty, lower mandible is paler; legs are pale greyish-olive. Both the sexes are similar. The juvenile is whiter below than adult, with weaker streaking. The race rubicapilla (N, NE & EC India and Karnataka) is much paler and more olive above than nominate, crown is tinged rufous, wings and tail are pale olive-brown, supercilium and ear-coverts are pale yellow, breast streaks are weaker.

Habitat: It is found in bushes and undergrowth in open broadleaf evergreen, deciduous and semi-evergreen forest, bushes and scrub on forest edge, logged areas, bamboo, long grass and brushwood; also swamp-forest, plantations, gardens, coastal scrub; local mangroves and associated transitional habitats. It is found up to 1800 m .

Food Habits: They feed mainly on insects, Ants, Worms and Beatles. Forages on floor and in undergrowth and among low vegetation, rummaging among fallen leaves looking for prey.

Breeding Habits:  They breed in Feb–July in India; Dec–Aug in Peninsular Malaysia. The nest is built by both sexes. The nest is a ball or rough dome, entrance at front or side near top,. The nest is made of dead bamboo, bark strips or other leaves, grasses, palm strands, debris and plant fibers, sparsely lined with fine grasses, fine stalks, fine fibrous rootlets and fibers, placed above ground in bush, stem less palm, bamboo clump, hedge, pineapple plant, among ferns or other low vegetation, among mass of vines or mass of orchids hanging from tree, or on overgrown stump. They lay a clutch 2–5 eggs.