Eyebrowed Thrush

Overview

The eyebrowed thrush (Turdus obscurus) is an attractive bird in the family Turdidae that breeds in dense coniferous forests and taiga. It is strongly migratory, wintering in China and Southeast Asia, and is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Features a grey back and head with a distinctive black eyeline bordered in white above and below.
• Displays orange breasts and flanks contrasting with a white belly, while immatures have browner backs.
• Males produce a simple whistling song similar to that of the mistle thrush.

Habitat

Breeds in dense coniferous forest and taiga ranging eastwards from Siberia and Mongolia to Japan. It winters south in China and Southeast Asia, though it is a rare vagrant to western Europe and has been recorded in locations as distant as Israel and Australia.

Diet

Omnivorous in nature, it consumes a wide range of insects, earthworms, and berries.

Did you know?

A fossil of the species was identified in late Pleistocene Indonesian passerines, indicating a historical presence in the region.