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
- 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
The mountain thrush behaves like other thrushes. It forages on large branches or on the ground, in flocks when not breeding, progressing in hops and dashes with frequent stops. It turns leaf litter seeking small fruits, insects and spiders.<p>It builds a grass or rootlet-lined large cup nest, concealed amongst epiphytes, 3–12 m (9.8–39.4 ft) above the ground on a tree branch. The female lays 2–3 unmarked greenish-blue eggs between March and June. The breeding season song is an unthrushlike mechanical monotone chip chip cher chip chip cher cher, and the call is a high seee or whip.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Slaty-backed Forest-Falcon
Micrastur mirandollei
Forest-falcons are well-named raptors; they are found almost exclusively inside the forest. They are generally slender and long-tailed, with long legs. Slaty-backed is clean-looking, smooth gray above and white below. Juveniles have a scaly pattern on breast. Similar to several other raptors, including Bicolored Hawk; note more extensive yellow skin around eye. As with all forest-falcons, more often heard than seen, and more easily identified by voice. Sings from the canopy, mostly at dawn and dusk. Listen for series of mournful “aww” notes, similar in tone to Collared Forest-Falcon (but Collared typically gives single notes).
Ringed Storm-Petrel
Hydrobates hornbyi
Handsome small seabird of Humboldt Current; not seen from shore, but breeds inland in Atacama Desert where it visits colonies at night to avoid predators. Plumage unlike all other storm-petrels, with black cap and collar, and white underparts contrasting with dark underwings. Upperparts also striking, with black cap, strong upperwing pattern, and gray tail (no contrasting white rump). Larger than most storm-petrels in its range, but size similar to Markham’s and Black Storm-Petrels, with which it readily associates.
Streaked Tit-Spinetail
Leptasthenura striata
Fairly common on western slopes of the Andes and in interior valleys, favoring drier habitats with weedy brush on rocky slopes, and also agricultural areas with hedges and thickets. Often in pairs, foraging low in weedy brush, where can be hard to see well; agile and often active, clinging upside down at tips of branches. Identified by boldly streaked crown and back, weakly patterned or mostly plain underparts, and very long spiky-tipped tail. Compare with the bulkier Andean Tit-Spinetail (local overlap in Peru).
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.