The jungle babbler (Argya striata), part of the Leiothrichidae family, is a social bird found in forests and agricultural areas of the Indian subcontinent. Known as “Seven Sisters” in Northern India and “Seven Brothers” in Bengali, they forage in groups of six to ten. They have small, rounded wings, weak flight, and are non-migratory. Only the yellow-billed babblers of peninsular India and Sri Lanka closely resemble them. Their brownish-gray plumage features some mottling on the breast and throat. Highly social, they often lead mixed-species foraging flocks. Primarily insectivorous, they also eat grains, nectar, and berries. While they defend their territories, occasional outsiders may be tolerated.
Focused Babbler The babbler remains alert, surveying its surroundings.
These birds live long for their size, with some surviving up to 16.5 years in captivity. While foraging, some act as sentinels, and they are known to crowd around snakes and predators. Their activity patterns resemble social primates more than similar birds. Young birds have black irises, but in older ones, muscle fiber formation hides the black epithelium, making the iris appear cream-colored. They breed year-round, with peak seasons in March-April and July-September in northern India. They reach sexual maturity by three years and build nests amid dense foliage, midway up trees. Clutches typically contain three to four deep greenish-blue eggs but can have up to seven.
Copyrights : All the photos and texts in this post are the copyright of John Thomas and Creative Hut Institute of Photography and Film. Their reproduction, full or part, is forbidden without the explicit approval of the right owners
