Rufous-vented Grass Babbler
A species of Grass babblers Scientific name : Laticilla burnesii Genus : Grass babblers
Rufous-vented Grass Babbler, A species of Grass babblers
Botanical name: Laticilla burnesii
Genus: Grass babblers
Content
Description General Info
Description
Rufous-vented grass babblers average 17 cm (6.7 in) long with a wing length from the bend to the tip of 5.3 cm (2.1 in) (females) or 5.5 cm (2.2 in) (males) to 5.9 cm (2.3 in). Adults are a cool brown colour above except that a buffy region on the back of the neck and upper back forms a distinct collar. Bold dark streaking starts at the forehead and fades on the back. The underparts are whitish with a tawny hue and dark streaking on the flanks. The undertail coverts are bright rufous or chestnut. The upper surface of the wings has barring formed by the covert feathers and their paler fringes. The wing linings are a faintly tawny off-white. The flight feathers of the wings are greyish brown; when the wing is folded, the primaries barely extend beyond the tertials. Those of the tail may be greyish or olive-brown and have rufous tips. The tail is long 8.7 to 11.5 cm (3.4 to 4.5 in) and strongly graduated, that is, the outermost pair of feathers is only one-third as long as the central pair. The head shows a conspicuous white eye-ring, whitish lores, and dark-streaked whitish cheeks. The upper mandible is horn-brown; the lower, straw-brown or flesh-brown. The eyes are brown, varying a little in lightness. The legs are flesh-colored or pale brown. From July to September the plumage is worn, especially the tail, which may be much shorter than in fresh plumage and missing the rufous tips. The moult is usually complete by October. Juveniles are similar but have loose, fluffy plumage. They have little or no streaking on the back and their tail tips are rufous, not tawny. They molt into adult head and body plumage, retaining their flight feathers, about 4 to 6 weeks after fledging. Calls include "a wheezy feez, and a quiet, very rapid nasal rattle." The song is described as a warble about 4 seconds long, liquid and loud, comparable to that of a dunnock. 
Size
17 cm
Feeding Habits
Rufous-vented Grass Babbler primarily consumes insects, often foraging stealthily on or near the ground. These birds exhibit agile movement through grass and are adept at remaining hidden, flipping leaves to find food. They typically feed in pairs or small groups and avoid being flushed out twice.
Habitat
Rufous-vented Grass Babbler typically inhabits various types of grasslands in the broader Indus River plains region. Its preferred environments include expanses of sarkhan grass, elephant grass, and ekra grass, often intermixed with acacias and tamarisks. The species thrives near large rivers, their tributaries or swamps, and can adapt to patches of tall grasses in desert regions and reedbeds. Rufous-vented Grass Babbler is also found in low-lying grassy riverine plains, tolerates the peripheries of cultivated lands, and can survive in degraded grassland areas, provided that the grasses are not shorter than 1 meter.
Dite type
Insectivorous
General Info
Behavior
This species skulks low in grass tussocks, hopping and threading its way through, often in small groups, feeding on insects. It usually holds its tail slightly cocked. When it flies, something that is hard to cause, it goes only to a nearby tussock. It is easiest to find in the breeding season, when it sings in the mornings and evenings.
Species Status
The conservation status of the rufous-vented grass babbler is rated at near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It is locally common or abundant in the Punjab and northern Sindh but much rarer in southern Sindh.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Perching birds Family
Jungle babblers Genus
Grass babblers Species
Rufous-vented Grass Babbler 
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