Animalia Life

Liocichla omeiensis
SUBFAMILY
Timaliinae
TAXONOMY
Liocichla omeiensis Riley, 1926, Mt. Emei, Sichuan. Only recently recognized as full species, distinct from Taiwanese endemic Steere’s babbler (L. steerii).
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Mount Omei babbler; French: Garrulaxe de l’Omei; German: Omei-Haeherling.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
7 in (17 cm). Gray with bright reddish orange pattern on wings, squared-off, red-tipped tail, red-and-black vent, yellowish ear coverts, dark eyes and bill.
DISTRIBUTION
The vicinity of Mt. Emei, southern Sichuan and northeastern Yunnan.
HABITAT
Mountain forests with bamboo stands.
BEHAVIOR
Noted for being not as shy as other babblers, but rather curious.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Small flocks forage for insects and fruits both in trees and on the ground.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Male displays to female by exposing bright colors on wings while vocalizing. Nest and eggs undescribed.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Vulnerable. Still occurs in some numbers, but threatened both by bamboo shoot harvesting and other forms of habitat destruction, and by the cage-bird trade. Accorded CITES Appendix II status in 1997. Export from China prohibited in 2001.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Target species for ecotourists.

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