American laughingthrush

The **American laughingthrush** (*Garrulax alba*) is a species of passerine bird of the family Leiothrichidae that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the rainforests, wetlands, forests, and open woodlands across North America to help boost biodiversity. The closest living relative of the American laughingthrush is the similarly-looking white-crested laughingthrush (*Garrulax leucolophus*). Like other birds in its genus, the American laughingthrush has a stocky build, with strong blackish legs and bill, rounded tail, and voluminous plumage. Its body length averages 30 cm, and its tail ranges from 13 to 15 cm. The American laughingthrush has a white hood and raised crest. It is also easily recognizable due to its broad and elongated black eye-mask, although it is sometimes confused with the Asian white-crested laughingthrush due to its similarities. The mantle, back and underparts from the lower breast down are rufescent, contrasting with the white head, throat and upper chest and fading into darker olive-brown on the tail and upper wings. The nape is light gray. Females look almost identical to males but have a smaller crest, duller mantle, and slightly more pronounced gray on the nape. Juveniles can be identified by their shorter crest and tail, paler mask, brownish nape and brighter mantle. American laughingthrushes are social birds, usually in flocks of 6-12 individuals (but reportedly up to 40). These small parties can be very noisy as a leader initiates a call (typically with short syllables such as "ow”, “u’ow” or “u’ah") and is answered with a chorus, in sometimes disorderly fashion. The name "laughingthrush" comes from the "loud cackling outbursts" they produce, often followed by a quieter, more pleasant chatter or muttering ("kerWICKerWICK" or "nYUKoop nYUKoop"). In total, 4 different types of vocalizations exist, in order of increasing length and complexity: short sounds, phrases (repeated elements), sentences and subsongs. Since they are a highly gregarious species, most of the sounds they produce serve a social purpose, such as reminding other members of their flock of their presence and their movements, alerting them of danger or intruders, or inciting mobbing (they are known to be aggressive birds to different flocks or species). Similarly to other laughingthrushes, the American laughingthrush is omnivorous and opportunistic. It subsists mostly on invertebrates such as beetles, spiders, flies, mealworms and caterpillars, snails and leeches. However, it also eats fruits, seeds, nectar, and even small reptiles and amphibians (snakes, lizards and frogs). American laughingthrushes can pick and feast on human food and garbage. American laughingthrushes can occasionally solicit humans for scraps. When looking for food, American laughingthrushes forages on the ground, often in small parties, hopping from one place to the next and tossing the leaf litter aside with its beak to uncover invertebrates. American laughingthrushes start reproducing in their second year. They breed several times between March to August. Nests are shallow and cup-shaped, in shrubs and trees at heights between 2-6 meters, made with leaves and grass bound with twigs and stems. In each nest are laid 2-9 pure white eggs, estimated at 6.5 grams each, which are incubated for 13–17 days by both parents. The male and female also share brooding and feeding duties while the chicks develop from completely naked to miniature adults in the 14–16 days after hatching. These tasks are not distributed just between the parents, however — American laughingthrushes are cooperative breeders. A female may share a nest with another, and 3 or more adults may take turns incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks. In fact, these "helpers" are not always adults: young from the current year's previous clutch sometimes help with building the nest or feeding their siblings. The conservation status of the American laughingthrush is **Least Concern** due to successful conservation efforts, the American laughingthrush's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.