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Timaliidae
画眉科
hùa-méi kē

畫眉科
hùa-méi kē

アカガシラチメドリ科
aka-gashira chime-dori ka

꼬리치레과
kkorichire-gwa

Họ Khướư

Хурагчийнхан
khuragchiŋkhaŋ

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General

Information is from dictionaries and other sources. Pinyin reflects Mandarin pronunciation; for some dialect names, it is no more than a polite fiction. Korean glosses are tentative. Comments and corrections welcome. Hover over Green Lettering Green lettering at this site hides a tool tip with glosses, further explanations, etc. Hover cursor to reveal. to see additional information.

The Timaliidae are a remnant of the former Timaliidae assemblage. (Spin-offs from the family include the Pellorneidae, Leiothrichidae, Pnoepygidae, and Vireonidae, and parts of the Zosteropidae and Sylviidae.) All names in the Timaliidae are ornithological in nature.

The earliest ornithological name proposed for the babblers (excluding the laughing-thrushes) was 嘈杂鸟 cáozá-niǎo 'noisy bird', suggested in 1927 (35), but this was later supplanted by the new term méi. This is an ornithological coinage derived from the well-known 画眉 huà-méi 'painted eyebrow' (Garrulax canorus, the Hwamei or Melodious Laughing-Thrush, now a member of the Leiothrichidae). The second part of the name -- méi 'eyebrow' -- was repurposed as a general name for the babblers and written with the newly-coined character méi, combining méi 'eyebrow' with the bird radical . The word méi is used for all of the current slimmed-down Timaliidae.

The Chinese generic names of the Timaliidae are as follows.

Name Current genera (H&M4) Previously (H&M3) Name also used for:
鹩鹛
liáo-méi
'wren-babbler'
Spelaeornis Spelaeornis Pellorneidae: Rimator
Elachura
剑嘴鹛
jiàn-zuǐ méi
'sword bill babbler'
Pomatorhinus Xipirhynchus  
钩嘴鹛
gōu-zuǐ méi
'hooked bill babbler'
Pomatorhinus  
Pomatorhinus
Erythrogenys
穗鹛
suì-méi
'cereal-ear babbler'
Stachyris Stachyris  
Cyanoderma
红顶鹛
hóng-dǐng méi
'red-capped babbler'
Timalia Timalia  
巨鹛
jù-méi
'giant babbler'
Mixornis Macronous  

Of particular interest is the name of the Spelaeornis / Elachura wren babblers. These were originally classed with the wrens (Troglodytidae) (see 35, published 1927), and the Elachura was given the name 班鹪鹩 bān-jiāoliáo 'striped wren'.

Following reassignment of these 'wrens' to the Timaliidae, Chinese ornithologists created new names on the model of English 'wren babbler'. This involved taking the Chinese word for 'wren', 鹪鹩 jiāoliáo -- which belongs to a relatively rare class of inherently bisyllabic words in Chinese -- and splitting it into two parts. The first character, jiāo, was combined with méi 'babbler' to make a composite name for wren-babblers in the genera Napothera, Turdinus (Pellorneidae), and Pnoepyga (Pnoepygidae). The second character, liáo, was combined with méi to make a composite name for wren-babblers in the genera Rimator (Pellorneidae) and Spelaeornis.

Taiwanese names

The neat regularisation of the Mainland names has largely passed the Taiwanese names by. Taiwanese naturalists refer to the scimitar babblers as 弯嘴 wān-zuǐ 'curved-bill' and the Rufous-capped Babblers as 山红头 shān hóng-tóu 'mountain red head'.

Species names

› ABOUT THIS TABLE‹
SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH
CHINESE
EAST
SOUTH
NORTH
Spelaeornis
Latin
English
Chinese
Chinese (Taiwan)
Other Ch
Japanese
Korean
Vietnamese
Mongolian
Spelaeornis troglodytoides
link to photo
Bar-winged Wren Babbler
Bar-winged Wren-babbler
斑翅鹩鹛
(斑翅鷯鶥)
bān-chì liáo-méi
'stripe-winged wren-babbler'
    シマオサザイチメドリ
(縞尾鷦鷯知目鳥)
shima-o sazai chime-dori
'stripe-tailed wren babbler-bird'
     
Spelaeornis reptatus Grey-bellied Wren Babbler
Grey-bellied Wren-babbler
灰嘴鹩鹛
(灰嘴鷯鶥)
huī-zǔi liáo-méi
'grey-billed wren-babbler' (Avibase)
    ウロコオナガサザイチメドリ
(鱗尾長鷦鷯知目鳥)
uroko o-naga sazai chimedori
'scaly long-tailed wren babbler-bird' ???
  Chim Khướư đất đuôi dài
'long-tailed ground-babbler (bird)' (12)
 
Elachura
Latin
English
Chinese
Chinese (Taiwan)
Other Ch
Japanese
Korean
Vietnamese
Mongolian
Elachura formosa
Spelaeornis formosus
link to photo
Elachura
Spotted Wren-babbler
Spotted wren babbler
丽星鹩鹛
(麗星鷯鶥)
lì xīng liáo-méi
'beautiful star wren-babbler'
  班鹪鹩
(班鷦鷯)
bān jiāoliáo
'striped wren' (early ornithological) (35)
シロボシサザイチメドリ
(白星鷦鷯知目鳥)
shiro-boshi sazai chime-dori
'white-starred wren babbler-bird'
  Chim Khướư đất vằn chấm
'stripe-legged ground-babbler (bird)' (34)
 
Pomatorhinus
Latin
English
Chinese
Chinese (Taiwan)
Other Ch
Japanese
Korean
Vietnamese
Mongolian
Pomatorhinus ochraceiceps
link to photo
Red-billed scimitar babbler
Ochraceous-headed scimitar babbler
棕头钩嘴鹛
(棕頭鉤嘴鶥)
zōng-tóu gōu-zuǐ méi
'reddishbrown-headed hook-bill-babbler'
    ムナジロマルハシ
(胸白丸嘴)
muna-jiro maru-hashi
'white-breasted curved-bill'
  Chim Họa mi đất mỏ đỏ
'red-billed ground-hwamei (bird)' (12)
 
Pomatorhinus ferruginosus
link to photo
Coral-billed scimitar babbler 红嘴钩嘴鹛
(紅嘴鉤嘴鶥)
hóng-zuǐ gōu-zuǐ méi
'red-billed hook-bill-babbler'
    カオグロマルハシ
(顔黒丸嘴)
kao-guro maru-hashi
'black-faced curved-bill'
  Chim Họa mi đất ngực hung
'reddish-breasted ground-hwamei (bird)' (12)
 
Pomatorhinus superciliaris
Xiphirhynchus superciliaris
link to photo
Slender-billed scimitar babbler 剑嘴鹛
(劍嘴鶥)
jiàn-zuǐ méi
'sword-billed babbler'
    ハシナガチメドリ
(嘴長知目鳥)
hashi-naga chime-dori
'long-billed babbler-bird'
  Chim Khướư mỏ cong
'curved-billed babbler (bird)' (12, 34)
 
Pomatorhinus schisticeps
link to photo
White-browed Scimitar Babbler
Slaty-headed Scimitar Babbler
灰头钩嘴鹛
(灰頭鉤嘴鶥)
huī-tóu gōu-zuǐ méi
'grey-headed hook-bill-babbler' (2, 3, 4, 5)
    マミジロマルハシ
(眉白丸嘴)
mami-jiro maru-hashi
'white-eyebrowed curved-bill'
  Chim Họa mi đất mày trắng
'white-eyebrowed ground-hwamei (bird)' (12)
 
Pomatorhinus ruficollis
link to photo
Streak-breasted scimitar babbler
Rufous-necked scimitar babbler
棕颈钩嘴鹛
(棕頸鉤嘴鶥)
zōng-jǐng gōu-zuǐ méi
'reddishbrown-necked hook-bill-babbler'
(小弯嘴)
小彎嘴
xiǎo wān-zuǐ
'small curved-bill'
小弯嘴画眉
(小彎嘴畫眉)
xiǎo wān-zuǐ huà-méi
'small curved-billed painted-eyebrow (=hwamei)'
竹脚画眉
(竹腳畫眉)
zhú-jiǎo huà-méi
'bamboo foot painted-eyebrow (=hwamei)'
小偃月嘴嘈杂鸟
(小偃月嘴嘈雜鳥)
xiǎo yǎn yuè-zuǐ cáozá niǎo
'small crescent-moon-billed noisy bird' (early ornithological) (35)
小钩嘴嘈鹛
(小鉤嘴嘈鶥)
xiǎo gōu-zuǐ cáo-niǎo
'small hooked-billed noisy-babbler'
小钩嘴鹛
(小鉤嘴鶥)
xiǎo gōu-zuǐ méi
'small hook-bill-babbler'
小眉
(小眉)
xiǎo méi
'small eyebrow' (= 'small babbler')
ヒメマルハシ
(姫丸嘴)
hime maru-hashi
'princess curved-bill'
  Chim Họa mi đất cỏ hung
'reddish-billed ground-hwamei (bird)' (34)
 
Erythrogenys
Latin
English
Chinese
Chinese (Taiwan)
Other Ch
Japanese
Korean
Vietnamese
Mongolian
Erythrogenys hypoleucos
Pomatorhinus hypoleucos
link to photo
Large scimitar babbler
Long-billed scimitar babbler
长嘴钩嘴鹛
(長嘴鉤嘴鶥)
cháng-zuǐ gōu-zuǐ méi
'long-billed hook-bill-babbler'
    オオマルハシ
(大丸嘴)
ō maru-hashi
'large curved-bill'
  Chim Họa mi đất mỏ dài
'long-billed ground-hwamei (bird)' (12, 34)
 
Erythrogenys erythrogenys
Pomatorhinus erythrogenys
›Taxonomy‹
link to photo
Rusty-cheeked scimitar babbler
(P. erythrocnemis =Spot-breasted scimitar babbler)
锈脸钩嘴鹛
(銹臉鉤嘴鶥)
xiù-liǎn gōu-zuǐ méi
'rusty-faced hook-bill-babbler'
›Taxonomy‹
  大弯嘴画眉
(大彎嘴畫眉)
dà wān-zuǐ huà-méi
'large curved-billed painted-eyebrow (=hwamei)'
マルハシ
(丸嘴)
maru-hashi
'curved-bill'
  Chim Họa mi đất má trắng
'white-cheeked ground-hwamei (bird)' (12, 34)
Inner M:
Нүүр улаавар харагчин
ᠨᠢᠭᠣᠷ ᠣᠯᠠᠪᠢᠷ ᠬᠠᠷᠠᠭᠴᠢᠨ
nüür ulaavar kharagchiŋ
'rufous-face wagtail' (31)
Erythrogenys erythrocnemis Spot-breasted Scimitar Babbler 台湾斑胸钩嘴鹛
(台灣斑胸鉤嘴鶥)
táiwān bān-xiōng gōu-zuǐ méi
'Taiwanese stripe-breasted hook-bill-babbler'
(大弯嘴)
大彎嘴
dà wān-zuǐ
'large curved-bill'
  -   -  
Stachyris
Latin
English
Chinese
Chinese (Taiwan)
Other Ch
Japanese
Korean
Vietnamese
Mongolian
Stachyris nigriceps
link to photo
Grey-throated babbler
Black-throated tree babbler
Grey-throated tree babbler
Black-headed tree babbler
黑头穗鹛
(黑頭穗鶥)
hēi-tóu suì-méi
'black-headed cereal-ear babbler'
    ハイノドモリチメドリ
(灰喉森知目鳥)
hai-nodo mori chime-dori
'grey-throated forest babbler-bird'
  Chim Khướư bụi đầu đen
'black-headed bush-babbler (bird)' (12, 34)
 
Stachyris humei
Sphenocichla humei
link to photo
Wedge-billed Babbler
Wedge-billed Wren-babbler
Wedge-billed wren babbler
楔嘴鹩鹛
(楔嘴鷯鶥)
xiē-zuǐ liáo-méi
'wedge-billed wren-babbler' (2, 4, 5)
楔头鹩鹛
(楔頭鷯鶥)
xiē-tóu liáo-méi
'wedge-headed wren-babbler' (1, 3)
    キリハシチメドリ
(?嘴知目鳥)
kiri-hashi chime-dori
'awl?-billed babbler-bird'
     
Stachyris nonggangensis Nonggang babbler 弄崗穗鶥
(弄崗穗鶥)
nònggǎng suì-méi
'Nonggang cereal-ear babbler'
    ナンガンチメドリ
(弄崗知目鳥)
nangan chime-dori
'Nonggang babbler-bird' (Avibase, Wikipedia)
     
Stachyris strialata
link to photo
Spot-necked babbler
Spot-necked tree babbler
Spotted tree babbler
斑颈穗鹛
(斑頸穗鶥)
bān-jǐng suì-méi
'stripe-necked cereal-ear babbler'
    エリボシモリチメドリ
(襟星森知目鳥)
eri-boshi mori chime-dori
'collar-starred forest-babbler-birds'
  Chim Khướư bụi đốm đỏ
'red-spotted bush-babbler (bird)' (12)
 
Timalia
Latin
English
Chinese
Chinese (Taiwan)
Other Ch
Japanese
Korean
Vietnamese
Mongolian
Timalia pileata
link to photo
Chestnut-capped babbler
Red-capped babbler
红顶鹛
(紅頂鶥)
hóng-dǐng méi
'red-capped babbler'
    アカガシラチメドリ
(赤頭知目鳥)
aka-gashira chime-dori
'red-headed babbler-bird'
  Chim Họa mi nhỏ
'small hwamei (bird)' (12, 13, 34)
 
Mixornis
Latin
English
Chinese
Chinese (Taiwan)
Other Ch
Japanese
Korean
Vietnamese
Mongolian
Mixornis gularis
Macronous gularis
link to photo
Striped Tit Babbler
Striped Tit-babbler
Striated Tit babbler
Pin-striped Tit-babbler
Yellow-breasted Babbler
纹胸鹛
(紋胸鶥)
wén-xiōng méi
'fine-pattern-breasted babbler' (2, 4)
纹胸巨鹛
(紋胸巨鶥)
wén-xiōng jù-méi
'fine-pattern-breasted giant babbler' (1, 3, 5)
    ムナフムシクイチメドリ
(胸斑虫喰知目鳥)
muna-fu mushi-kui chime-dori
'stripe-breasted insect-eating babbler-bird'
  Chim Chích chạch má vàng
'yellow-cheeked titbabbler bird' (onomat.) (12, 34)
 
Cyanoderma
Latin
English
Chinese
Chinese (Taiwan)
Other Ch
Japanese
Korean
Vietnamese
Mongolian
Cyanoderma chrysaeum
Stachyris chrysaea
Stachyridopsis chrysaea
link to photo
Golden babbler
Golden-headed tree babbler
金头穗鹛
(金頭穗鶥)
jīn-tóu suì-méi
'gold-headed cereal-ear babbler'
    キガシラモリチメドリ
(黄頭森知目鳥)
ki-gashira mori chime-dori
'yellow-headed forest babbler-bird'
  Chim Khướư bụi vàng
'yellow bush-babbler (bird)' (12, 34)
 
Cyanoderma ruficeps
Stachyris ruficeps
Stachyridopsis ruficeps
link to photo
Rufous-capped babbler
Red-headed tree babbler
红头穗鹛
(紅頭穗鶥)
hóng-tóu suì-méi
'red-headed cereal-ear babbler'
(山红头)
山紅頭
shān hóng-tóu
'mountain red head'
  ズアカチメドリ
(頭赤知目鳥)
zu-aka chime-dori
'red-headed babbler-bird'
  Chim Khướư bụi đầu đỏ
'red-headed bush-babbler (bird)' (12, 34)
 
Cyanoderma ambiguum
Stachyris ambigua
Buff-chested babbler
Yellow-throated tree babbler
黄喉穗鹛
(黃喉穗鶥)
huáng-hóu suì-méi
'yellow-throated cereal-ear babbler' (1, 2, 4, 5)
›Taxonomy‹
    キノドズアカチメドリ
(黄喉頭赤知目鳥)
ki-nodo zu-aka chime-dori
'yellow-throated red-headed babbler-bird'
  Chim Khướư bụi đầu hung
'reddish-headed bush-babbler (bird)' (12)
 
Cyanoderma rufifrons
Stachyris rufifrons
Stachyridopsis rufifrons
link to photo
Rufous-fronted babbler
Red-fronted tree babbler
红额穗鹛
(紅額穗鶥)
hóng-é suì-méi
'red-foreheaded cereal-ear babbler'
    ノドフズアカチメドリ
(喉斑頭赤知目鳥)
nodo-fu zu-aka chime-dori
'stripe-throated red-headed babbler-bird'
  Chim Khướư bụi trán hung
'reddish-foreheaded bush-babbler (bird)' (12)
 

Бор bor as an adjective means either 'grey, brown, dun', or 'stubborn'. It is used in some bird names as a noun, including names for the nightjars, reed warblers, Reed Parrotbill, and leiothrix. The common thread is unclear, and the meaning likely differs according to the bird, with nightjars possibly being regarded as 'stubborn', and others as being 'small brownish birds'.

The word Шагшуурга shagshuurag has two main meanings in Mongolian: 'dew' or 'hoarfrost', and 'reed'. As a bird name, it is used in Шагшуурга бялзуухай shagshuurag byalzuukhai, which is the name of a kind of reed warbler and assigned to the genus Panurus in the most recent ornithological naming in Mongolia. In ornithological Inner Mongolian, it is used as a name for the babblers. The shortened form Шагшуур shagshuur is used for the bulbuls.

The word Họa mi is a borrowing from Chinese 畫眉 huà-méi 'painted-eyebrow', the name of the Hwamei or Melodious Laughing-thrush. In Vietnamese, in addition to the Hwamei itself (Leiothrichidae), it has been applied ornithologically to the Chestnut-capped Babbler and scimitar babblers (Timaliidae) and the Yellow-eyed Babbler (Sylviidae).

中国鸟类种和亚种分类名录大全(修订版) 郑作新 著 科学出版社 北京 2000年
A Complete Checklist of Species and Subspecies of the Chinese Birds (Revised Edition) by Cheng Tso-Hsin, Science Press, Beijing 2000

中国鸟类分类与分布名录 主编:郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2005年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of China Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2005

中国鸟类野外手册(中文版)约翰・马敬能、卡伦・菲利普斯,合作者:荷芬奇,翻译:卢和芬 湖南教育出版社 长沙 2000年
A Field Guide to the Birds of China (Chinese translation) by John MacKinnon, Karen Phillipps, in collaboration with He Fen-qi, translated by Lu Hefen, Hunan Jiaoyu Chubanshe (Hunan Educational Press) Changsha 2000

世界鸟类分类与分布名录 主编:郑光美 科学出版社 北京 2002年
A Checklist on the Classification and Distribution of the Birds of the World Chief editor: Zheng Guangmei, Science Press, Beijing 2002

世界鸟类名称(拉丁文、汉文、英文对照)第二版 郑作新等 科学出版社 北京 2002年
Birds of the World (Latin, Chinese and English Names) 2nd ed. by Cheng Tso-Hsin et al, Science Press, Beijing 2002

中国鸟类分布名录 第二版 郑作新 科学出版社 北京 1976年
(Checklist of the Classification of Birds of China 2nd edition by Cheng Tso-Hsin, Science Press, Beijing 1976)

香港及華南鳥類(第六版)(翻譯成中文及重新修訂) 尹璉、費嘉倫、林超英 香港性徵特區政府新聞處政府印務局 1994年
Birds of Hong Kong and South China (6th edition, translated into Chinese and newly revised) by Clive Viney, Karen Phillipps, Lin Chaoying, Hong Kong Govt. Press 1994

Danh Lục Chim Việt Nam (In lần thứ hai) (Checklist of the Birds of Vietnam) Võ Quý, Nguyễn Cử, Nhà Xuất Bản Nông Nghiệp, Hà Nội 1999

Chim Việt Nam Nguyễn Cử, Lê Trọng Trải, Karen Phillipps; Nhà Xuất Bản Lao Động - Xã Hội, 2000

汉蒙名词术语分类词典(自然科学部分) Mongolian (Cyrillic): Хятад Монгол нэр томъёоны зүйл хуваасан толь (байгалийн шинжлэх ухааны бүлэг) (Chinese-Mongolian classified terminological dictionary, natural sciences part) by 《汉蒙名词术语分类词典》编纂委员会 Mongolian (Cyrillic): "Хятад Монгол нэр томъёоны зүйл хуваасан толь" найруулах комисс (Chinese-Mongolian classified terminological dictionary editorial committee), Inner Mongolian People's Press, Hohhot 1990.

Danh Lục Các Loài Chim ở Việt Nam (Latinh, Việt, Pháp, Hán) Trần Văn Chánh 2008-2009

Chinese Birds (A Tentative List of Chinese Birds) 中國鳥類(中國鳥類目錄試編) N. Gist Gee, Lacy I. Moffett, G. D. Wilder (祁天錫, 慕維德, 萬卓志), Peiping, 1927 (reprinted 1948)

御製五體清文鑑 (yùzhì wǔtǐ qīngwén jiàn) Cyrillic: Хааны бичсэн таван зүилийн үсгээр хавсарсан манж үгний толь бичиг (Mirror of the Manchu language with an overview of five different languages, compiled by the Emperor OR Imperial Pentaglot Manchu Mirror). In three volumes. 民族出版社 1957. Originally completed around 1790, published by 1805.