Taiwan thrush

The Taiwan thrush (Turdus poliocephalus niveiceps) is a bird in the thrush family. It is the most northerly subspecies of the island thrush (Turdus poliocephalus) and is endemic to the island of Taiwan.

Taiwan thrush
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Turdidae
Genus: Turdus
Species:
T. poliocephalus
Subspecies:
T. p. niveiceps
Trinomial name
Turdus poliocephalus niveiceps
(Hellmayr, 1919)

Taxonomy

As the most sexually dimorphic of all island thrush subspecies, it is a good candidate for reclassification as a full species.[1][2]

Description

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.[1]

Distribution and habitat

The subspecies is a rare resident of central Taiwan's mountain forests at altitudes of 1800–2500 m.[1]

Behaviour

Feeding

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.[1]

References
  1. Birding in Taiwan: Island Thrush
  2. Collar, N.J. (December 2004). Endemic Subspecies of Taiwan birds — first impressions. BirdingASIA 2.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.