Coral-billed Scimitar-Babbler is split into two species based on distinct plumage differences and differences in vocalisations (Rasmussen and Anderton 2012, del Hoyo and Collar 2016). The monotypic group Coral-billed Scimitar-Babbler (Black-crowned) Pomatorhinus ferruginosus ferruginosus becomes Black-crowned Scimitar-Babbler Pomatorhinus ferruginosus; the second species is a polytypic Brown-crowned Scimitar-Babbler Pomatorhinus phayrei.