Amami Thrush

Overview

The Amami thrush (Zoothera major) is a large, heavily patterned thrush endemic to the northern Nansei Islands of Japan. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and is currently found on the islands of Amami Ōshima and Kakerima.

Identification

• Length ranges from 29 to 31 cm with a weight of approximately 172 g.
• Upperparts are warm olive-brown to buff, contrasting with whitish underparts featuring heavy black scaling.
• The species possesses twelve tail feathers, distinguishing it from the similar but smaller scaly thrush which has fourteen.
• It produces a cheerful song similar to that of the Siberian thrush.

Habitat

This bird breeds in mature subtropical broadleaved evergreen forest located around humid valleys. Its range is restricted to the islands of Amami Ōshima and Kakerima in the northern Nansei Islands of Japan.

Diet

The Amami thrush feeds on a diet consisting of invertebrates and fruit.

Did you know?

The breeding population is estimated by the Amami Ornithologists' Club through surveys conducted all over the island every late March, a practice that has been ongoing since 1999.