Littoral rock-thrush

Monticola imerinus

Photo by Frank Vassen (Flickr)

Common name:
littoral rock-thrush (en); melro-das-rochas-do-litoral (pt); monticole du littoral (fr); roquero litoral (es); dünenrötel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Turdidade

Range:
This species is endemic to southern Madagascar, being found in coastal areas from Tulear to Tolanaro.

Size:
These birds are 16 cm long.

Habitat:
The littoral rock-thrush is mostly found in dry, sandy, coastal scrublands, such as Euphorbia, mainly in dunes and coral rag. They also use dry savannas and forests, pastures and rural gardens. They occur from sea level up to an altitude of 200 m.

Diet:
They feed on berries, fruits and insects.

Breeding:
Littoral rock-thrushes breed in October-February. The nest is a bowl made of moss, lichens and other plant fibres, and lined with feathers. There is no further information about the reproduction of this species.

Conservation:
IUCn status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a relatively large breeding range and is described as abundant. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Cocoa thrush

Turdus fumigatus

Photo by Margareta Wieser (Nuestro bello mundo...)

Common name:
cocoa thrush (en); sabiá-da-mata (pt); merle cacao (fr); tordo acanelado (es); sabiadrossel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Turdidae

Range:
This species is found in northern South America, from eastern Colombia, through Venezuela and the Guyanas and south into Brazil as far as Mato Grosso, and also in a disjunct area along the eastern coast of Brazil, from Pernambuco south to Rio de Janeiro. They also occur in the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada and St. Vincent.

Size:
These birds are 21,5-24 cm long and weigh 55-83 g.

Habitat:
The cocoa thrush is mostly found in the lower and middle strata of moist tropical forests and swamp forests, but also use rivers, swamps and marshes, dry savannas, mangroves, plantations and second growths. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.800 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on ground invertebrates, such as earthworms, millipedes, ants and other insects, as well as berries and small fruits.

Breeding:
Cocoa thrushes can breed all year round, varying among different parts of their range. The nest is a bulky cup made of twigs, placed low in a tree branch, among epiphytes or in a bank. There the female lays 2-3 greenish-blue eggs with reddish blotches, which she incubates alone for 13 days. The chicks fledge 13-15 days after hatching. Each pair can raise 2-4 broods per year and the young reach sexual maturity after 1 year.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as uncommon to fairly common. The cocoa thrush is suspected to lose 25-30% of suitable habitat within its range over the next 2 decades based on a model of Amazonian deforestation. However, given its tolerance to habitat fragmentation and degradation, and to edge-effects it is suspected to suffer just a small decline in the near future.

Orange-headed thrush

Zoothera citrina

(Photo from Manuk)

Common name:
orange-headed thrush (en); tordo-de-cabeça-laranja (pt); grive à tête orange (fr); zorzal citrino (es); damadrossel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Turdidae

Range:
This species is found from southern China, west to northern Pakistan, and south into southern India, parts of Indochina and the Indonesian islands of Borneo and Java.

Size:
These birds are 20-23,5 cm long and weigh 47-67 g.

Habitat:
The orange-headed thrush is mostly found in the understorey of both deciduous and evergreen, moist tropical forests, also using dry tropical forests, secondary forests, bamboo thickets, rivers and streams, plantations and rural gardens. They occur at altitudes of 250-2.300 m.

Diet:
They feed on termites and other insects, slugs, snails, leaches, earthworms, berries, fruits and grass seeds.

Breeding:
Orange-headed thrushes breedin April-October. The nest is built by both sexes, consisting of a wide but shallow cup, made of twigs, ferns and rootlets, and lined with leaves, moss and conifer needles. It is placed in a small tree or scrub, up to 4,5 m above the ground. The female lays 3-5 cream, pale blue, pale grey or pale green eggs with lilac and reddish-brown blotches and spots. The eggs are incubated for 13-14 days and the chicks fledge 12 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as uncommon and scarce to locally common. The species is suspected to be experiencing an ongoing decline, owing to high trapping pressure for the cage bird trade and continuing habitat loss.

Cape rock-thrush

Monticola rupestris

Photo by Derek Keats (Wikipedia)

Common name:
Cape rock-thrush (en); melro-das-rochas-do-Cabo (pt); monticole rocar (fr); roquero de El Cabo (es); klippenrötel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Turdidae

Range:
This species is found in southern and eastern South Africa, including Lesotho and Swaziland, and marginally into south-eastern Botswana and south-western Mozambique.

Size:
These birds are 21-22 cm long and weigh 60-64 g.

Habitat:
The Cape rock-thrush is mostly found in cliffs, rocky valleys, boulder-strewn hillsides and scree slopes, especially with scattered trees, scrubs and succulents such as Aloe sp. and Euphorbia sp. They also use dry grasslands and scrublands, and rural gardens.

Diet:They feed mainly on arthropods, such as cockroaches, termites, beetles, ants, centipedes, millipedes and spiders, fruits and seeds. They are also known to take molluscs, frogs, skinks and the nectar of Aloe ferox.

Breeding:Cape rock-thrushes breed in September-February. They are monogamous, solitary nesters, and the nest is a messy platform built of twigs, grass, roots and soil, with a cup-shaped cavity set into the top. It is typically placed in a rock crevice or on the ledge of a cliff or building. There the female lays 2-4 eggs which she incubates alone for 14-16 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge about 16 days after hatching, becoming fully independent about 10 days later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as locally common in South Africa and Swaziland, although also locally uncommon in South Africa and uncommon in Lesotho. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Grounscraper thrush

Psophocichla litsitsirupa

Photo by Ian White (Flickr)

Common name:
groundscraper thrush (en); tordo-de-peito-malhado (pt); merle litsitsipura (fr); zorzal litsitsirupa (es); akaziendrossel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Turdidae

Range:
This species occurs in two separate areas in Africa. The subspecies P.l. simensis is only found in the highlands of Ethiopia and Eritrea, while three other subspecies occur from Tanzania, southern D.R. Congo and Angola south to northern South Africa.

Size:
These birds are 20-24 cm long and weigh 65-85 g.

Habitat:
The groundscraper thrush is mostly found in dry savannas and woodlands, particularly miombo Brachystegia and mopane Colosphermum mopane, and to a lesser extent Acacia. They also use dry grasslands and scrublands, moorland, pastures, plantations, arable land and rural gardens. This species occurs from sea level up to an altitude of 4.100 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on adult and larval insects, namely beetles, flies, termites, crickets and grasshoppers, but also take spiders, isopods, slugs, earthworms, skinks and fruits.

Breeding:
Groundscraper thrushes can breed all year round, varying among different parts of their range. The nest is an open cup made of stems, grass, rootlets, leaves and weeds secured with spider web and lined with feathers. It is typically placed in a vertical or horizontal fork against the tree trunk, often near the nests of fork-tailed drongos Dicrurus adsimilis, possibly to take advantage of the drongo's aggressive nest defence tactics. The female lays 2-4 eggs which are incubated by both sexes for 14-15 days. The chicks are raised by both parents and fledge 16 days after hatching, but only become fully independent about 6 weeks later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is reported to be uncommon to common. The population trend is difficult to determine because of uncertainty over the impacts of habitat modification on population sizes.

Tristan thrush

Nesocichla eremita

Photo by Garry Bakker (PBase)

Common name:
Tristan thrush (en); tordo-de-Tristão da Cunha (pt); grive de Tristan da Cunha (fr); zorzal de Tristán da Cunha (es); Tristandrossel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Turdidae

Range:
This species is endemic to Tristan da Cunha, in the South Atlantic Ocean, where it is found on Tristan, Inaccessible, Nightingale, Middle and Stoltenhoff islands.

Size:
These birds are 23 cm long and weigh 80-125 g.

Habitat:The Tristan thrush is found in all available habitats in the islands, including rocky shorelines, tussock grassland, fern-dominated scrublands, wet heathland and rural gardens. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 300 m.

Diet:They are highly opportunistic, taking earthworms and other soil invertebrates, as well as, berries, dead birds, fish offal, kitchen scraps, and the eggs and fledglings of other birds including seabirds such as the Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos, the great shearwater Puffinus gravis and the endemic spectacled petrel Procellaria conspicillata. They are even known to kill adult white-bellied storm petrels Fregetta grallaria and white-faced storm petrels Pelagodroma marina directly, probably by taking them from their burrows.

Breeding:
Tristan thrushes breed in September-February. The nest is a rough cup woven from tussock fronds and grass stalks with some moss and leaves, placed on or just above the ground. There the female lays 2-4 pale green eggs with reddish-brown spots. There is no available information regarding the incubation period, but the chicks are fed by both parents and fledge about 20 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - NT (Near-Threatened)
This species has a small breeding range and a global population estimated at 1.500-7.000 individuals. The population is currently suspected to be stable as there is no evidence foor declines or serious threats. Still, predation by black rats Rattus rattus is a possible threat on Tristan, and translocations of birds between islands, a common practice in the past, resulted in hybridisation, which is another concern.

Aztec thrush

Ridgwayia pinicola

Photo by Chris West (Arizona Field Ornithologists)

Common name:
Aztec thrush (en); tordo-asteca (pt); grive aztèque (fr); zorzal azteca (es); Aztekendrossel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Turdidae

Range:
This species is endemic to Mexico, being found in the western and central parts of the country from Sonora to Oaxaca. Occasionally, vagrant birds may wander into the southern United States.

Size:
These birds are 22-24 cm long and have a wingspan of 40 cm. They weigh 65-90 g.

Habitat:
The Aztec thrush is found in mountain, moist tropical forests, at altitudes of 1.800-3.500 m.

Diet:
They feed on insects and other arthropods, worms, fruits and berries.

Breeding:
Aztec thrushes breed in May-September. The nest is an open cup made of moss, grasses, mud and twigs, and lined with finer materials. It is placed in a fork or branch of a tree. The female lays 2-3 light blue eggs, which she incubates alone for 12-14 days. The chicks are raised by both parents and fledge about 2 weeks after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and a global population estimated at 20.000-50.000 individuals. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction and fragmentation.

Veery

Catharus fuscescens

Photo by Guy Poisson (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
veery (en); sabiá-norte-americano (pt); grive fauve (fr); zorzalito rojizo (es); Wilson-drossel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Turdidae

Range:
This species breeds in southern Canada and in the United States as far south as Idaho, Colorado, Michigan and Tennessee. They migrate south to winter in central Brazil from Pará to Mato Grosso.

Size:
These birds are 16-19,5 cm long and have a wingspan of 28-29 cm. They weigh 26-54 g.

Habitat:
The veery breeds in damp, deciduous forests and riparian habitats, also using second growths with dense undergrowth. They favour hemlocks, willows and alders. Outside the breeding season they use dry savannas and moist tropical forests. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 2.500 m.

Diet:
During the breeding season they hunt insects and other invertebrates, such as beetles, caterpillars, spiders, centipedes, snails, pill bugs, ants, wasps, and tupulid flies. During the rest of the year they mostly eat fruits and berries.

Breeding:
These birds breed in April-August. The nest is built by the female, consisting of an open cup made of dead leaves, grapevine bark, weed stems, and wet, mud-like leaf mold, lined with fine rootlets and fibres. It is usually placed on the ground, near the base of a scrub, or in the vegetation up to 1 m above the ground. The female lays 3-5 pale blue or greenish eggs, only rarely spotted brown, which she incubates alone for 10-14 days. The chicks are raised by both parents and fledge 10-12 days after hatching, becoming fully independent about 2 weeks later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and a global population estimated at 14 million individuals. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to increased parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds Molothrus ater, together with ongoing habitat destruction and degradation in its wintering range.

Bassian thrush

Zoothera lunulata

Photo by J.J. Harrison (Wikipedia)

Common name:
Bassian thrush (en); tordo-de-meias-luas (pt); grive à lunules (fr); zorzal lunado (es); Tasmanerddrossel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Turdidae

Range:
This species is found in Tasmania and south-eastern Australia, from south-eastern South Australia to south-eastern Queensland. There is a separate population in the Atherton Tablelands of northern Queensland.

Size:
These birds are 27-29 cm long and weigh 100 g.

Habitat:
The Bassian thrush is mostly found in dense, moist tropical forests and temperate forests, particularly in gullies. They also use plantations. This species is present at altitudes of 700-1.050 m.

Diet:
They forage on the ground, searching for small invertebrates among the leaf litter.

Breeding:
Bassian thrushes breed in June-April. The nest is a deep, untidy cup made of shredded bark and grass. It is placed in a major fork in a tree or in a depression in a stump, up to 15 m above the ground. The female lays 2-3 eggs which are incubated by both parents for 14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge about 14 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and the population was estimated at 12.000 individuals. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction and degradation, but the Bassian thrush is not considered threatened at present.

Nilgiri blue robin

Myiomela major

Photo by P.J. Vasanthan (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
Nilgiri blue robin (en); asa-curta-de-flancos-ruivos (pt); brachyptère à flancs roux (fr); alicorto flanquirrufo (es); Madraskurzflügel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Turdidae

Range:
This species is endemic to the Western Ghats of southern India, where it is restricted to the Nilgiri hills and South Wayanad hills, and to three peaks in south-western Karnataka.

Size:
These birds are 14-15 cm long.

Habitat:
The Nilgiri blue robin is mostly found in the undergrowth of mountain rainforests, at altitudes of 1.000-1.500 m, favouring areas near streams. They also use Eucalyptus and Acacia plantation as well as gardens close to primary rainforests.

Diet:
They forage on the ground, picking caterpillars, small flies and other insects.

Breeding:
These birds breed in April-June. They are monogamous and nest is a large, shallow cup made of green moss and lined with rootlets. It is placed on a tree hollow or rocky crevice in a ravine, or sometimes on roadside banks. The female lays 2-3 eggs which are incubated by both parents for 16-17 days. The chicks are fed by both parents but there is no information on the length of the fledgling period.

Conservation:
IUCN status -EN (Endangered)
This species has a small breeding range and, although the global population size has not been quantified, evidence suggests that it is moderately common within suitable habitat. The Nilgiri blue robin is suspected to be declining due to habitat loss caused by forest harvesting for fuelwood and clearance for livestock grazing, plantations and human settlements. The development of hydroelectric plants and the construction of roads are further threats. Furthermore, having a mountain distribution that is close to the maximum altitude within its range, this species is potentially susceptible to climate change

Puaiohi

Myadestes palmeri

Photo by Mitch Walters (Flickr)

Common name:
puaiohi (en); tordo-solitário-puaiohi (pt); solitaire puaïohi (fr); solitario puaiohi (es); Palmerklarino (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Turdidae

Range:
This species is endemic to the island of Kaua'i, in the Hawai'i archipelago, where it is presently only found at the Alaka`i Wilderness Preserve.

Size:
These birds are 17 cm long and weigh 37-43 g.

Habitat:
The puaiohi is now restricted to high-elevation rainforests, favouring ravines and stream banks with a rich understorey. They are present at altitudes of 1.000-1.500 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on fruits and berries, namely olapa Cheirodendron trigynum, lapalapa C. platyphyllum, ōhia ha Syzygium sandwicensis and kanawao Broussaisia arguta. They also hunt some invertebrates, such as snails and insects, especially during the breeding season. Being the only frugivore in Kaua'i this species possibly plays an important role in seed dispersal.

Breeding:
The puaiohi is monogamous, but there is some evidence of extra-pair paternity. They breed in march-September, nesting in cavities or ledges on cliffs or trees which are lined with moss and ferns. There the female lays 2 grayish-green to greenish-blue eggs with irregular reddish-brown splotches. She incubates the eggs alone for 13-15 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 16-22 days after hatching. Each pair may raise up to 4 broods per year.

Conservation:
IUCN status - CR (Critically Endangered)
This species has a very small breeding range and a global population estimated at just 130-330 individuals. Following past declined and range contractions caused by habitat destruction, the species is now increasing thanks to a captive breeding and reintroduction programme in the Alaka'i Wilderness Preserve, having more than doubled in the last 15 years. The main threats to the puaiohi include diseases, hurricane damage, predation by native short-eared owls Asio flammeus and introduced rats, competition with introduced insects, birds and mammals and habitat changes causes by introduced plant species. The destruction of the understorey by feral pigs has been implicated in past declines and may still be a problem in the future. Beside the ongoing captive breeding and reintroduction programme, other conservation initiatives include the control of rat populations, the installation of rodent-resistent nest boxes and ungulate exclusion fences.

Black-breasted thrush

Turdus dissimilis

Photo by Brian Gratwicke (Wikipedia)

Common name:
black-breasted thrush (en); tordo-de-peito-preto (pt); merle à poitrine noire (fr); zorzal pechinegro (es); schwarzbrustdrossel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Turdidae

Range:
This species is found in northern Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar, marginally into north-eastern India and Bangladesh, and in southern China in Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan.

Size:
These birds are 18-23,5 cm long and weigh 75 g.

Habitat:
The black-breasted thrush is mostly found in moist tropical forests with dense understory, and also in mangroves, moist scrublands and dry tropical forests including mountain pine woodlands. They are found at altitudes of 1.200-2.500 m.

Diet:
They mainly forage on the ground, taking insects, snails, slugs and other invertebrates. They also consume berries and ripe figs.

Breeding:
Black-breasted thrushes breed in April-June. The nest is a sturdy cup made of green moss and plant fibres, placed on a fork in a small tree or scrub, or occasionally on the ground. It is usually placed 1-6 m above the ground. There the female lays 3-4 buff, pale green or greenish-blue eggs with dark markings, which are incubated for 12-14 days. The is no information regarding the fledgling period.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as common to rare. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction and degradation, but it is not considered threatened at present.

African thrush

Turdus pelios

Photo by Steve Garvie (Wikipedia)

Common name:
African thrush (en); tordo-africano (pt); merle africain (fr); zorzal africano (es); Kapdrossel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Turdidae

Range:
This species is found in sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal to Sudan and south to Angola, Zambia and western Tanzania.

Size:
These birds are 20-23 cm long and weigh 45-70 g.

Habitat:
The African thrush is found in well wooded areas, including dry tropical forests, moist tropial forests, dry savannas and moist scrublands. That are also found in agricultural areas, plantations and pastures, from sea level up to an altitude of 3.000 m.

Diet:
They are omnivorous, eating insects, earthworms, millipedes, snails, spiders, fruits, berries and seeds.

Breeding:
African thrushes can breed all year round. The nest is built by both sexes, consisting of a cup-shaped structure made of grasses, herbs, weeds, roots and earth laid out in a clockwise manner, and lined with fine plant materials. The nest is placed on a thick tree branch, 6-8 m above the ground. The female lays 2-3 pale greenish-blue eggs with brown lavender markings, which she incubates alone for about 14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 14-16 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status -LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is reported to be frequent to common. The population trend is difficult to determine because of uncertainty over the impacts of habitat modification on population sizes.

Eastern bluebird

Sialia sialis

(Photo from New Jersey Birds)

Common name:
eastern blurbird (en); pássaro-azul-oriental (pt); merlebleu de l'Est (fr); azulejo gorgicanelo (es); rotkehl-hüttensänger (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Turdidae

Range:
This species is found breeding in the eastern United States, in south-eastern Canada and in Central America from Mexico down to northern Nicaragua. The more northern population migrate south to winter along the southern parts of the range.

Size:
These birds are 16-21 cm long and have a wingspan of 25-32 cm. They weigh 27-34 g.

Habitat:
Eastern bluebirds are found in open areas near trees, particularly pastures, grasslands with scattered trees, forest edges, parks and gardens, agricultural fields and also marshes and swamps. They are found from sea level up to an altitude of 2.700 m.

Diet:
They forage on the ground, mainly eating insects such as caterpillars, beetles, crickets and grasshoppers, as well as spiders. During autumn and winter they feed largely on fruits and berries, namely mistletoe, sumac, blueberries, black cherry, tupelo, currants, wild holly, dogwood berries, hackberries, honeysuckle, bay, pokeweed, and juniper berries. They are also known to sometimes eat salamanders, shrews, snakes, lizards, and tree frogs.

Breeding:
The eastern bluebird breed in March-August. The nest is built by the female, consisting of a small cup of woven grasses and pine needles, lined with fine grasses and occasionally horse hair or turkey feathers. The nest is placed in a natural tree cavity or in a nest box, up to 18 m above the ground. The female lays 3-7 pale blue eggs, which are incubated by both parents for 11-19 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 15-21 days after hatching. Each pair may raise 1-3 broods per season.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and the global population is estimated at 10 million individuals. In North America the population has undergone a large increase of 30% per decade over the last 4 decades.

Red-legged thrush

Turdus plumbeus

Photo by Alef Castellanos (Flickr)

Common name:
red-legged thrush (en); tordo-de-patas-vermelhas (pt); merle vantard (fr); zorzal patirrojo (es); rotfußdrossel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Turdidae

Range:
This species is found in the northern Caribbean, namely in the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Honduras and Puerto Rico.

Size:
These birds are 25-28 cm long and weigh 50-82 g.

Habitat:
The red-legged thrush is found in tropical woodlands and forests, along the edges of mangroves, in scrublands, and in human altered areas including degraded forests, rural gardens, plantations, arable land and within urban areas. They occur from sea level up to an altitude of 1.200 m.

Diet:
They forage on the ground and in the tree canopy, taking invertebrates such as roaches, snails, worms, spiders, ants, grasshoppers and caterpillars, berries, seeds and palm fruits. Occasionally they also take small vertebrates such as tree frogs, lizards and snakes.

Breeding:
Red-legged thrushes breed in January-September. The nest is a bulky cup, built by the female using leaves, rootlets, bark, banana fibres and mud. The nest is placed in a fork in a tree or palm, or sometimes in human structures, 4-10 m above the ground. The female lays 2-4 pale greenish eggs with brownish spots, which are incubated for 11-13 days. The chicks fledge 11-15 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a relatively large breeding range and, although the global population size has not been quantified, the red-legged thrush is described as common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Ring ouzel

Turdus torquatus

Photo by Jari Peltomäki (Luonto Portti)

Common name:
ring ouzel (en); melro-de-peito-branco (pt); merle à plastron (fr); mirlo capiblanco (es); ringdrossel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Turdidae

Range:
This species breeds in Scandinavia, in the northern parts of the British islands and along southern and central Europe from north-eastern Spain to southern Germany and Poland, and through the Balcans, Romania and Bulgaria into Turkey. There are also population in the Caucasus, northern Iran and Turkmenistan. Most population migrate south to winter in Iran, Iraq and around the Mediterranean.

Size:
These birds are 24-27 cm long and have a wingspan of 42-48 cm. They weigh 85-120 g.

Habitat:
The ring ouzel is found in temperate forests and scrublands, temperate grasslands, boreal forests, dry scrublands an rocky areas, especially in hills and mountainous areas. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 300-3.000 m.

Diet:
During spring and early summer they mainly feed on insect larvae and earthworms, but also adult insects and invertebrates, rodents an lizards. During the rest of the year they feed on berries, fruits and seeds.

Breeding:
Ring ouzels breed in April-June. The nest is made of twigs, mud, leaves and moss, and placed on a rock-ledge, on the ground under low vegetation, or rarely on a tree. The female lays 3-6 pale blue eggs with brown markings, which she mainly incubates alone for 12-14 days. The chicks fledge 14-16 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
The ring ouzel has a very large breeding range and the population in Europe, where over 95% of the population is found, is estimated at 930.000-2.010.000 individuals. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat alteration and disturbance.

Varied thrush

Zoothera naevius

Photo by Elaine Wilson (Tom Clark)

Common name:

varied thrush (en); tordo-de-colarinho (pt); grive à collier (fr); zorzal cinchado (es); halsbanddrossel (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Turdidae

Range:

This species is found from Alaska and north-western canada, along the pacific coast of North America down to northern California. The more northern populations migrate south to winter in south-western Canada, along the western United States and in north-western Mexico.

Size:

These birds are 20-28 cm long and have a wingspan of 34-42 cm. They weigh 65-100 g.

Habitat:

The varied thrush is mostly found in dense, moist woodlands, mainly coniferous forests in the boreal and temperate zones. They winter in various woodlands, parks and gardens.

Diet:

They feed on or near the ground, eating insects and other invertebrates, berries, seeds and acorns.

Breeding:

Varied thrushes nest in an open cup, built by the female using twigs, leaves, lichens and bark. The nest is placed in a low scrub, near a stream bank or at the base of a tree branch, against the trunk. There the female lays 2-5 greenish-blue eggs with light brown spots, which are incubated by the female for 12-14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 13-15 days after hatching. Each pair may raise 1-2 clutches per year.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a large breeding range and global population estimated at 26 million individuals. The population has undergone a large decline of roughly 75% over the last 4 decades, mostly due to deforestation and clear cutting, but they are not considered threatened in any portion of their range at present.

Drakensberg rockjumper

Chaetops aurantius

Photo by Robert Wienand (Flickr)

Common name:
Drakensberg rockjumper (en); tordo-de-peito-alaranjado (pt); chétopse doré (fr); saltarrocas del Drakensberg (es); orangebrust-felsenspringer (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Turdidae


Range:
This species is endemic to South Africa and Lesotho, being found in the highlands of Lesotho and the nearby mountain grassland regions of the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Free State Province.


Size:
These birds are 23-25 cm long and weigh 75-100 g.


Habitat:
The Drakensberg rockjumper is found in high altitude grasslands and rocky areas, typically at altitudes above 1.800 m.


Diet:
They are strictly insectivorous, taking grasshoppers, moths and insect larvae and pupae which they collect on the ground.


Breeding:
Drakensberg rockjumpers breed in August-February. They are monogamous and the breeding pair is sometimes assisted by 1-2 helpers. The nest is a large untidy cup made of grass and twigs and lined with soft rootlets, grass and hair. It is usually placed on the ground, well concealed by tufts of grass, an overhanging rock, or sometimes a small scrub. The female lays 2-3 white eggs, which are incubated by both sexes. There is no information on the length of the incubation and fledging periods, but the chicks are known to be fed by both sexes.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a restricted breeding range, but the population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Eurasian blackbird

Turdus merula

Photo by Bojan Bencic (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
Eurasian blackbird (en); melro-preto (pt); merle noir (fr); mirlo común (es); amsel (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Turdidae


Range:
This species is found breeding in northern Africa, throughout Europe and into southern Asia to India and southern China. The northern and eastern populations migrate south to winter in north-eastern Africa, the Middle East and South-east Asia. It was introduced to eastern Australia and New Zealand.


Size:
These birds are 23,5-29 cm long and have a wingspan of 35-38 cm. They weigh 80-125 g.


Habitat:
The Eurasian blackbird is able to explore a wide range of habitats, from urban centres to woodlands and forests, scrublands and agricultural areas. They are found from sea level up to an altitude of 4.600 m.


Diet:
They are omnivorous, eating a wide range of food items including fruits and berries, earthworms, insects, snails, leaches, centipedes, spiders and even small reptiles and mammals. They are also known to occasionally eat the eggs of other birds.


Breeding:
Within their native range, Eurasian blackbirds breed in February-August. The nest is a stout cup made of twigs, stems, mud and dry grass, placed in a tree or scrub. The female lays 3-5 bluish eggs with reddish-brown mottles, which she incubates alone for 12-17 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 13-14 days after hatching, but continue to receive food from parents for another 2-3 weeks.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has an extremely large breeding range and a global population estimated at 150-500 million individuals. The population is suspected to be stable overall, and in Europe several population have shown moderate increases over the last 3 decades.