Mountain Thrush
Turdus plebejus
Rather dull-colored large thrush of mountain forests, rarely encountered. Feeds mainly in fruiting trees and bushes, less often on the ground. Both sexes gray-brown overall with a black bill and dark legs. If seen well, only confusion species is female Black Thrush, which occurs in the same areas and even at the same fruiting trees. Note that female Black Thrush has yellowish legs, faint throat streaking, and slightly warmer brown tones.
Identification
The mountain thrush resembles other Turdus thrushes in general appearance and habits. It is 23–26 cm (9.1–10.2 in) long and weighs 86 g (3.0 oz) on average. The adult is uniformly dull olive-brown with faint white streaks on the throat. The bill is black and the legs are dark brown. The juvenile resembles the adult, but has buff or orange streaks on the head and upperparts, and dark spotting on the underparts. Two superficially similar relatives share this species range: the sooty thrush is blacker with an orange bill, eye ring and legs, and the clay-colored thrush is much paler and yellow-billed.<p>There are three poorly defined subspecies:
Taxonomy
Genus: Turdus; Family: Turdidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Turdus plebejus
- Authority
- Cabanis, 1861
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Turdidae
- Genus
- Turdus
Range and habitat
This is a bird of tall mountain forests and adjacent more open areas and woodland edge which breeds in highlands from southern Mexico to western Panama. Its preference is for oak with many epiphytes and mosses, normally from 1,800 m (5,900 ft) altitude to the timberline. It descends in flocks as low as 900 m (3,000 ft) in the wet season.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Large, dark sunbird with a long, curved bill. Males are glossy green and black, while females are dark brown with heavy streaking below. Found in forest, plantations, gardens, and scrub. Active bird that feeds mainly on nectar. Common call is a simple “cheep,” sometimes repeated quickly. Dark males are distinctive. Females can be told from female Souimanga Sunbird by their larger size, larger bill, and heavy streaking below.
Stripe-necked Tody-Tyrant
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A small, relatively drab flycatcher found locally across its wide range. Primarily yellowish in plumage, brightest on the belly. Whiter throat has strong grayish stripes blending into blurrier streaks on the chest. Generally found in scrubby semi-humid habitats, and often likes viney tangles. Where overlaps with the similar Johannes’s Tody-Tyrant, note the stronger throat markings and generally brighter overall coloration.
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Sparkling green and rusty bird found in cloud forest along the east slope of the Andes, at higher elevations than other jacamars. Mostly restricted to Ecuador, but it also reaches southern Colombia and extreme northern Peru. Green with reddish belly and undertail, blue crown and throat, and buffy eyering. Female has reddish throat. Long, thin bill may give the impression of an enormous hummingbird. Perches at low to mid levels, looking around frantically before sallying out to snatch an insect.
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