Habitat
Primary evergreen forests, where it is an edge specialist, occupying naturally-occurring light gaps and riverine areas, peat-swamp forest, selectively logged forest, tall secondary growth and overgrown plantations. From sea-level - 700 m.
Brunei Darussalam (B), Indonesia (B), Malaysia (B), Thailand (B).
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010) and decreasing.
Status NT
Habitat loss and degradation through escalation of illegal logging and land conversion, with deliberate targeting of all remaining stands of valuable timber including those inside protected areas, and forest fires are the main threats.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Sooty-capped Babbler (Malacopteron affine) [XC800957]
by Ding Li Yong from Taman Negara (Kuala Tahan), Pahang, Malaysia (song)
Sooty-capped Babbler (Malacopteron affine) [XC740750]
by Ding Li Yong from Mersing (near Kahang), Johor, Malaysia (duet, song)
Subspecies
Has often been treated as monotypic, but subspecies phoeniceum appears sufficiently distinctive to warrant recognition. Birds from Banyak Is (off western Sumatra) separated as subspecies notatum on basis of size difference, but this was later shown to be non-existent.
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
affine (Blyth, 1842) - Southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra (including Banyak Is, off western coast).
BirdLife International Species Factsheet