Indian Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus horsfieldii) [XC410546]
by Ross Gallardy from Palar, Idukki, Kerala, India (call)
Indian Scimitar Babbler (Pomatorhinus horsfieldii) [XC324012]
by Mandar Bhagat from Chorla Ghats, Goa, India (call)
Subspecies
Pomatorhinus horsfieldii (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) has been split into Indian Scimitar-babbler (Pomatorhinus horsfieldii) and Sri Lanka Scimitar-babbler (Pomatorhinus melanurus) following Rasmussen and Anderton (2005) and Collar (2006).
Has been treated as conspecific with White-browed Scimitar-babbler (Pomatorhinus schisticeps) and Sri Lanka Scimitar-babbler (Pomatorhinus melanurus). Vocalizations are extremely like those of White-browed Scimitar-babbler (Pomatorhinus schisticeps) (from which differs only in lack of rufous on plumage), and perhaps better treated as conspecific.
The following 4 subspecies are recognised:
obscurus Hume, 1872 - Western India (south-western Rajasthan south to southern Gujarat and south-western Madhya Pradesh).
horsfieldii Sykes, 1832 - South-eastern Gujarat south to Goa and north-western Karnataka, and east to central Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and north-eastern Andhra Pradesh.
travancoreensis Harington, 1914 - Goa south to Kerala and western Tamil Nadu.
maderaspatensis Whistler, 1936 - Central and southern Andhra Pradesh and northern Tamil Nadu.