Gould's nightingale-thrush

Gould's nightingale-thrush (Catharus dryas) is a species of bird in the family Turdidae native to Central America. It was first described in 1855 by English ornithologist John Gould.

Gould's nightingale-thrush
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Turdidae
Genus:	Catharus
Species:	C. dryas
Binomial name
Catharus dryas (Gould, 1855)

Taxonomy and systematics

In 1878, the Sclater's nightingale-thrush (Catharus maculatus) was categorized as a subspecies of Catharus dryas due to the similarities in plumage the two species had. In 2017, research showed that Catharus maculatus was not a subspecies of Catharus dryas, but a separate species of Spotted nightingale-thrush. The publication cited DNA sequencing, vocal data, and modeling of ecological niches as evidence that the two organisms were, in fact, different species.[2]

Subspecies

There are three subspecies recognised:[3]

• C. d. harrisoni - Phillips, AR & Rook, 1965: Found in Oaxaca (south-western Mexico)
• C. d. ovandensis - Brodkorb, 1938: Found in Chiapas (south-western Mexico)
• C. d. dryas - (Gould, 1855): Found in western Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras

Distribution and habitat

It is found from southern Mexico to Honduras. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, and inland wetlands.[3]

Behaviour and ecology

1902 illustration

It has a lifespan of around 4.2 years, and is not considered a migratory species.[3]

References

1. BirdLife International (2019). "Catharus dryas". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2020.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
2. Halley, M.R.; Klicka, J.C.; Clee, P.R.S.; Weckstein, J.D. (2017). "Restoring the species status of Catharus maculatus (Aves: Turdidae), a secretive Andean thrush, with a critique of the yardstick approach to species delimitation". Zootaxa. 4376 (3): 387–404. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4276.3.4.
3. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David, eds. (2020). "Thrushes". World Bird List Version 10.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 27 March 2020.

Further reading

• Halley, M.R.; Klicka, J.C.; Clee, P.R.S.; Weckstein, J.D. (2017). "Restoring the species status of Catharus maculatus (Aves: Turdidae), a secretive Andean thrush, with a critique of the yardstick approach to species delimitation". Zootaxa. 4376 (3): 387–404. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4276.3.4.