Austral thrush

The austral thrush (Turdus falcklandii) is a medium-sized thrush from southern South America. There are two subspecies, the Magellan thrush (T. f. magellanicus) from south Argentina and south and central Chile, and the Falkland thrush (T. f. falcklandii) from the Falkland Islands.

T. f. falcklandii, at Gypsy Cove, East Falkland.
T. f. magellanicus in Central Chile

Austral thrush
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Turdidae
Genus: Turdus
Species:
T. falcklandii
Binomial name
Turdus falcklandii
Quoy & Gaimard, 1824
Subspecies

See text

The austral thrush is similar to the European blackbird, also of the genus Turdus, with a yellow bill and feet, a dark brown head, back and wings and paler underparts. The smaller T. f. magellanicus is more olive below, while in T. f. falcklandii the underside tends towards ochre. Both subspecies have streaked throats.

In Chile and Argentina the austral thrush lives in a variety of habitats from Nothofagus forests to agricultural lands and even gardens. On the Falkland Islands it makes use of human altered habitat as well but is most numerous in tussac grasses near beaches.

Falkland thrush, illustration by Keulemans, 1881

References
  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Turdus falcklandii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Collar, N. J. (2005) Family Turdidae (Thrushes) pp. 514–811 in: del Hoyo. J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., (eds), Handbook of the Birds of the World, Volume Ten, Cuckoo-shrikes to Thrushes, ISBN 84-87334-72-5


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