Dusky Thrush (Turdus eunomus)

[order] PASSERIFORMES | [family] Turdidae | [latin] Turdus eunomus | [UK] Dusky Thrush | [FR] Grive de Naumann | [DE] Naumanndrossel | [ES] Zorzal Eunomo | [NL] Naumanns Bruine Lijster

Subspecies

Physical charateristics

Medium-sized, robust thrush, with rather stout bill and body. Diagnostic combination of broad pale supercilium and much rufous or chestnut under and on wings and on rump. Northern race spotted and barred black below, southern race spotted rufous. Sexes closely similar, some seasonal variation.

Listen to the sound of Dusky Thrush

[audio:http://www.aviflevoland.nl/sounddb/D/Dusky Thrush.mp3]

Copyright remark: Most sounds derived from xeno-canto

Range

Eurasia : East

Habitat

Breeds in higher latitudes of east Palerctic, mainly in lowlands from fringe of tundra through taiga and wooded steppe, in riverain woods of willow and poplar, with dense tall bushy undergrowth, also in birch and alder and more rarely in larch along terraces and low scrub. Occurs in thinly wooded regions and on outskirts of forest.

Reproduction

4 to 6 eggs are laid in a nest made of grass, rootlets, and twigs, lined with clay, and built on a tree branch, stump, ground, or cliff ledge. Incubation ranges from 13 to 15 days and is carried out by the female.

Feeding habits

Mostly insects and invertebrates.

Conservation

This species has a large range, with an estimated global Extent of Occurrence of 10,000,000 km2. The global population size has not been quantified, but it is believed to be large as the species is described as ‘common’ in at least parts of its range (Clement and Hathway 2000). Global population trends have not been quantified, but the species is not believed to approach the thresholds for the population decline criterion of the IUCN Red List (i.e. declining more than 30% in ten years or three generations). For these reasons, the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Breeds in Siberia east of Yenisey river and Sayan mountains.
Both nominate naumanni and eunomus recorded vagrants in Britain, France, Belgium, Germany, Finland, Poland, Austria, Italy, and Cyprus. Nominate naumanni: Czech Republic, Hungary, Belarus?. T. n. eunomus: Faeroes, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Yugoslavia, Kuwait. Race not determined: Ukraine, Israel.

Migration

Migratory. North Siberian race, eunomus, migrates through Kuril Islands, Sakhalin, Hokkaido, Korea, Manchuria, and Mongolia to winter in southern Japan, Taiwan, southern China, north-west Thailand, northern Burma, Assam (India), and occasionally Nepal and Pakistan. South Siberian race, nominate naumanni, migrates through Mongolia and Korea to winter in China north to southern Manchuria and south to Yangtse river and in Korea, with a few in Japan and Taiwan.
Recorded chiefly autumn-winter (eunomus more frequently than nominate naumanni).

Distribution map