Laughingthrushes & Allies

The Laughingthrush family (Leiothrichidae), previously part of the Timaliidae group, represents a variety of small to medium-sized, generally brown passerine birds found mostly in tropical areas of Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Despite being weak fliers with short, rounded wings, these birds are not highly migratory and typically dwell in light woodlands and scrublands. They are often seen on the ground due to their strong legs and display minimal sexual dimorphism. Most laughingthrushes feed on insects; however, they are also known to consume berries, and larger species might eat small lizards and other vertebrates. The family was officially introduced by William Swainson in 1832, having undergone significant reclassification following a robust molecular phylogenetic study in 2018 that revealed substantial genetic divergence among various genera. Notably, the Garrulax genus was split into three separate clades based on this divergence, creating the distinct genera Garrulax, Pterorhinus, and Ianthocincla. Additionally, the genus Turdoides was divided, and species were redistributed into the revived genus Argya. Another taxonomic shift involved the relocation of crocias into the genus Laniellus. The family Leiothrichidae includes 133 species spread across 16 genera, which feature various laughingthrushes, babblers, barwings, minlas, sibias, and liocichlas, among others. These birds maintain complex relationships with other babbler families, as illustrated in a 2019 study by Tianlong Cai and colleagues.