Comoro Thrush
Turdus bewsheri
A typical thrush in shape and size, but with unusual brown coloration. Varies significantly across the three islands where it occurs, and these populations may be full species. The Grand Comoro birds have plain pale brown underparts, the Moheli birds have darker blotching below, and the distinctive Anjouan birds are scaled on the underparts. Found in humid forest, secondary habitats, and plantations, mostly at higher elevations, though down to sea level in some places. The song is a typical thrush mix of whistles and quavering notes, whose exact structure varies on the different islands. Also gives “pik” notes, short trills, and a high-pitched “seet.”
Identification
The Comoro thrush is a brown bird with olive tinged upperparts, slightly more rufous on the tail and wings. The underparts are whitish except for brown flanks and brown scaling on the breast and belly, central belly and undertail coverts are white. The females are browner than the males but otherwise similar, juveniles are more rufous. The length is 24 centimetres (9.4 in).<p>The song is a typically thrush-like series of melodious, rich notes which varies between islands. Alarm call is a sharp "twit" and there is a soft contact call.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Turdus bewsheri
- Authority
- Newton, E, 1877
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Turdidae
- Genus
- Turdus
Range and habitat
Comoro thrush occurs in evergreen primary forest and forest edge from sea level to 700 metres (2,300 ft), except for the subspecies T.B. comorensis which occurs on Mount Karthala above this altitude as no forests exist lower than this. There are three recognised subspecies, each endemic to a single island. They are:
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
The Comoro thrush is classified as Near threatened by the IUCN and the main threat is habitat loss through forest degradation due to clearance by subsistence farmers and firewood cutting.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
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