Other Scientific Names
Turdoides caudatus [BirdLife International (2004)], Turdoides caudatus [Cramp and Simmons (1977-1994)], Turdoides caudatus [Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)]
Other Names (World)
Common Babbler, Afghan Babbler (salvadorii and huttoni)
Family
Leiotrichidae (Laughingthrushes And Allies)
Common Babbler (Argya caudata) [XC667377]
by Saswat Mishra from Virar, Thane, Maharashtra, India (?)
Common Babbler (Argya caudata) [XC188305]
by Sagar Adhurya from Sonsal, Satara, Maharashtra, India (call)
Subspecies
Subspecies form two groups, salvadorii and huttoni (larger and greyer) in west and eclipes and nominate (smaller and darker) in east. Groups have been treated as two separate species, but variation predominantly clinal.
The following 4 subspecies are recognised:
salvadorii (Dumont, 1823) - Eastern and south-eastern Iraq and north-western and south-western Iran. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Afghan Babbler (Argya huttoni).
huttoni (Blyth, 1847) - South-eastern Iran, south-western Afghanistan and south-western Pakistan. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Afghan Babbler (Argya huttoni).
eclipes (Hume, 1877) - Northern and central Pakistan east to south-western Jammu and Kashmir and adjacent north-western India (north-western Punjab).
caudata (Dumont, 1823) - Central, eastern and south-eastern Pakistan, India (except Himalayas and north-east) including Rameswaram I (off south-eastern Tamil Nadu) and Laccadive Is, also south-western Nepal and western Bangladesh.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet