White's Thrush
Zoothera aurea
Burly thrush with brownish upperparts and white underparts; covered with black-edged scaling all over the body. In flight, two bright white stripes visible on black underwings. Feeds solitarily on the ground, usually in or near dense cover; walks instead of hops, moving in a comically jerky manner. Often very approachable. Prefers mid- to high-elevation forests for breeding but regularly found in lowland parks and forests in winter. Compare Scaly Thrush. Song is a high, fluty whistle which fades in and out in a distinctly unbird-like manner.
Identification
The sexes are similar, 27–31 cm long, with black scaling on a paler white or yellowish background. The most striking identification feature in flight is the black band on the white underwings, a feature shared with Siberian thrush. The male has a song which is a loud, far-carrying mechanical whistle, with 5–10 second pauses between each one second long phrase twee...tuuu....tuuu....tuuu.<p>It was previously considered a subspecies of the scaly thrush.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Zoothera aurea
- Authority
- (Holandre, 1825)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Turdidae
- Genus
- Zoothera
Range and habitat
It breeds in wet coniferous taiga, mainly in the eastern Palearctic in Siberia to Manchuria, Korea and Japan. Northern races are strongly migratory, with most birds moving to southeastern Asia during the winter. It is a very rare vagrant to western Europe.
- Breeding range
- PAL : e
- Non-breeding range
- Taiwan and se Asia
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Violet Crow
Corvus violaceus
An entirely blackish short-tailed crow. Has a subtle purplish sheen that is visible in only certain lighting conditions. Juveniles lack purple gloss. Inhabits forest, edge, and plantations in the lowlands and foothills. Singles, pairs, or small groups can be found in the canopy. Recently described from Seram, and perhaps also occurs on Ambon and Buru. Unmistakable, being the only crow on these islands. Gives an odd call for a crow: a nasal, trumpeting “errr.” Gives more crow-like sounds too, but higher-pitched than many sounds of the family, including a high-pitched, guttural “kreh-kreh…”.
Kaempfer's Woodpecker
Celeus obrieni
Visually striking woodpecker. Has a chestnut head and flight feathers, and is otherwise creamy yellow with a black chest and spots on the wings and back. The male has a red malar patch. Strongly associated with bamboo forests along rivers, where it mainly eats ants. Call is a series of squeaky notes followed by bubbling ones: “kreear klu-klu-klu-klu-klu.”
Golden Cuckooshrike
Campochaera sloetii
A medium-sized bird of foothill forest canopy and clearings, often perching out on open branches. Bright yellow belly, dirty yellow back, black tail and black wing with white lines and a white forehead. Throat and chest are black in males and gray in females. Golden Monarch is somewhat similar, but Golden Cuckooshrike is much larger and lacks the white spot below the eye. Golden Myna lacks the white line in the wing. Voice, an explosive “syup!”, double “syup-yup!” or a more rapid series.
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