Yemen Thrush
Turdus menachensis
A typical thrush in shape and size, but with unusually dull coloration. Mostly brown, with darker striping on the throat and breast, and a yellow bill. Females are slightly paler than males. There is a rufous patch at the front of the underwing, which can be conspicuous in flight. Found at middle and high elevations, in a variety of wooded habitats, including thickets, wadis, and cultivated areas, as well as acacia and juniper woodland. The song is a mix of whistles and trilled notes, that averages drier and less musical than typical thrush song. Also makes typical thrush “chk-chk” and thin “tseeep” calls. Similar to female Eurasian Blackbird, but separated by range, paler overall coloration, and yellow bill.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Turdus menachensis
- Authority
- Ogilvie-Grant, 1913
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Turdidae
- Genus
- Turdus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser albifrons
Medium-sized goose with extensive range across the Northern Hemisphere. On adults note bright orange legs, white face, and variable amount of black splotching on belly. Bill color varies from orange to pinkish. Immatures lack white face and black on belly and have duller orange legs and bill. Superficially similar to domestic barnyard geese but smaller without the enormous pot-bellied appearance of domestic birds. Bill color is helpful to separate from both species of Bean-Goose and Pink-footed Goose. Also compare with very similar Lesser White-fronted Goose in Europe and Asia, which is smaller and more compact, and has a stubby bill and yellow eyering. Breeds in tundra and taiga habitats; winters in fields, agricultural areas, and wetlands. Usually found in flocks, sometimes mixed with other species of geese.
Henslow's Sparrow
Centronyx henslowii
A large-headed and thick-billed sparrow, found exclusively in weedy grasslands with sparse shrubs. Distinctive color combination of olive-green nape, rufous wings, and crisp black streaks below. Also note large pinkish bill and flat crown. Singing males perch conspicuously in the breeding season; otherwise very secretive, especially in migration and winter. Populations declining sharply, perhaps due to pesticide use and destruction of native grasslands. Listen for its extremely short song, easy to pass off as an insect: “ts-lick.”
Sabota Lark
Calendulauda sabota
A medium-sized, streaky lark with a strong white eyebrow that gives it a capped appearance and a bold face pattern that is emphasized by a white crescent under the eye and strong moustachial streaks. The heavily streaked breast contrasts with a plain whitish belly and throat. The western races in South Africa’s Northern Cape and in Namibia have heavier, longer bills than their eastern counterparts. Pairs are resident in Karoo shrubland and arid savanna, preferring grassy areas. In spring and summer, the male sits up on a prominent perch singing a rich, melodious, variable song that often includes imitations of other birds. The Sabota Lark lacks the rufous wing panel present in Fawn-colored, Flappet, and Rufous-naped Larks.
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