Taiwan Thrush
Turdus niveiceps
Uncommon endemic thrush breeding in montane forests (1000-2500 m). Male is striking: black with an orange belly and a snow-white head. Female browner, with a brown-and-white-mottled head. Descends into foothills and even lowlands during the winter, when it may mix with other thrush species. Male gives a melodic whistled song from the canopy.
Identification
The male Taiwan thrush has black upperparts except for a white head and throat. The underparts are mainly dark orange with a blackish upper breast. The female has similar patterning but is duller, with a brown back, grayish brown head with a white streak behind the eye, buff throat and upper breast streaked brown, and with duller orange underparts. Its bill, legs and feet are yellow. Males and females are similar in size, about 22 cm in length.
Taxonomy
It was formerly considered a subspecies of the island thrush (T. poliocephalus), but genetic studies indicate that it is not closely related, and it displays some characteristics such as heavy sexual dimorphism not known from any other island thrush subspecies. It was reclassified as a distinct species by the IOC in 2021.
- Scientific name
- Turdus niveiceps
- Authority
- (Hellmayr, 1919)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Turdidae
- Genus
- Turdus
Range and habitat
The species is a rare resident of central Taiwan's mountain forests at altitudes of 1800–2500 m.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The Taiwan thrush forages through trees, low vegetation, and on the ground in leaf litter. Its diet includes a variety of invertebrates as well as seeds, berries and fruit.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Orange-eyed Flatbill
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Rare flycatcher found in seasonally flooded swamp forest in lowlands east of the Andes. Pale eye, wide bill, buffy throat and breast, gray crown, and lack of facial markings help separate it from similar species such as Gray-crowned Flycatcher. It is typically seen quite high in the trees, but usually not in the forest canopy. Song is a series of emphatic, raspy squeaks.
Black-headed Cuckooshrike
Lalage melanoptera
Male has dark slaty-gray head, neck, and upper breast; rest of the body is pale gray, with white on the belly. Wings darker than mantle. Female lacks the black hood, and has a whitish supercilium, brownish-gray upperparts with lightly barred back and rump, and buff-white underparts with wide brown bars. Juvenile is similar to female, but upperparts barred white. Immature similar to female. Song is a series of clear, loud whistles: “pee-pe-pe-pe-pe-twe-twee.” Some notes can be omitted, or additional notes added.
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