Black-breasted thrush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black-breasted thrush |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Male | |
 |
|
| Female | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Turdus
|
| Species: |
dissimilis
|
The black-breasted thrush (Turdus dissimilis) is a type of bird from the Turdidae family, which includes many thrushes. You can find this bird in areas stretching from north-eastern India all the way to northern Vietnam.
Male and female black-breasted thrushes look a bit different. Their lower bodies are the same color. However, the males have a mostly black upper body, especially on their chest. Females, on the other hand, are mostly grey-brown. This is why the bird is called the "black-breasted" thrush, named after the male's chest color. These birds usually live in forests found high up in the mountains.
Contents
About the Black-breasted Thrush
What is its Scientific Name?
The black-breasted thrush belongs to a group of birds called Passeriformes, which are often known as "perching birds." It is part of the Turdidae family, which includes other thrushes.
This bird was first officially described in 1847 by a person named Edward Blyth. He found it in the lower Bengal region.
How Does it Look?
The black-breasted thrush is a medium-sized bird. It measures about 22 to 23.5 centimeters (around 8.5 to 9 inches) long, including its tail.
While the lower parts of both male and female birds are similar in color, their upper bodies are quite different.
- Males: The male thrush has a black head, neck, and chest. The rest of its upper body, like its back, is a dark grey color.
- Females: Females are grey-brown from their eyes all the way to their tail. Their throat and chest area are a lighter, soft buff color.
Where Does it Live?
You can find the black-breasted thrush in a wide area, from north-eastern India to northern Vietnam. These birds prefer to live in moist forests found in tropical and subtropical mountain regions.
They can also be found in other places, but these are less common. These include drier tropical and subtropical forests, moist shrublands, and even mangrove areas that are above the high tide line. In some parts of southwestern China, they live in hilly areas.
These birds usually live at high elevations, typically between 1,220 meters (about 4,000 feet) and 2,500 meters (about 8,200 feet) high. However, during the colder winter months, they often move down to lower areas, sometimes as low as 200 meters (about 650 feet).
Is it an Endangered Bird?
The black-breasted thrush is currently listed as "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List. This list helps us understand how threatened different species are. Even though the number of these birds has been slowly going down over the last ten years, their population is not decreasing fast enough to be considered "Vulnerable." For a species to be vulnerable, its population would need to drop by more than 30% in ten years.
The main reason for the decline in their numbers is the ongoing "destruction and degradation" of their natural homes. This means their forest habitats are being damaged or disappearing. Despite this, the black-breasted thrush still lives across a very large area, covering over 752,000 square kilometers (about 290,000 square miles).
What is its Behavior Like?
The call of the black-breasted thrush is often described as "sweet" and "melodious." Their songs are made up of musical phrases that have between 3 and 8 notes.
These birds eat a variety of foods, including insects, snails and slugs, and berries. They usually find their food on the ground. However, they will sometimes fly up into fruit trees to eat berries.
The time when black-breasted thrushes lay their eggs and raise their young depends on where they live:
