Red-tailed Laughingtrush (Trochalopteron milnei ssp. milnei)  

The Red-tailed Laughingtrush was described in 1874, originally from the surroundings of the village of Guadun in the north-western Fujian Province in south-east China; the species was subsequently found in other parts of China as well as in Laos and Vietnan, these populations, however, were all assigned to distinct subspecies.

The nominate form differed from the other subspecies mainly by the plumage of its breast which was uniformly grey instead of being scaly grey.

In the 1930s the nominate form was apparently already restricted to the higher elevations of the mountains close to its former range and finally died out sometimes later with the main reason for this being deforestation.

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References:

[1] F. Q. He; S. L. Cheng; D. S. Melville; J. S. Lin; Z. Lin; h. D. Jiang: Garrulax milnei milnei, a taxon little known in Chinese ornithology. Zoological Systematics 40(2): 235–236. 2015

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edited: 22.01.2024

Astley’s Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea ssp. astleyi)

Astley’s Red-billed Leiothrix, described in 1921, is apparently known from two specimens, a male and a female that were found in an aviary somewhere in China.

This form differs from the other subspecies by its forehead and crown being strongly tinged with orange-scarlet instead of being olive green; by the eyebrows and ear coverts being likewise strongly tinged with orange-scarlet instead of being greyish or greenish white; the breast is said to be strongly scarlet instead of yellow and orange; the female is paler and has the ear coverts are yellowish orange. 

According to this description these birds were superficially obviously quite similar to the one depicted below.

Astley’s Red-billed Leiothrix, whose taxonomical status is disputed, has never been recorded since its description and, if indeed it is a distinct taxon, is now extinct. [1]

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syn. Leiothrix astleyi Delacour

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References:

[1] Julian P. Hume: Extinct Birds. 2. Edition. Bloomsbury Natural History 2017

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edited: 22.01.2024