Forest thrush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Forest thrush |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Turdidae |
| Genus: | Turdus |
| Species: |
T. lherminieri
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| Binomial name | |
| Turdus lherminieri Lafresnaye, 1844
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| Synonyms | |
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The forest thrush (Turdus lherminieri) is a special kind of bird that lives in the Caribbean. It belongs to the thrush family, known for their beautiful songs. This bird is quite unique because it only lives on a few islands in the Lesser Antilles.
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About the Forest Thrush
This bird was once thought to be the only species in its own group, called Cichlherminia. But in 2009, scientists decided it was more like other thrushes and moved it into the Turdus group. This means it's now considered a close relative of many other thrushes you might know.
What Does It Look Like?
The forest thrush is a medium-sized bird, about 25 to 27 centimeters long. That's about the length of a ruler! It weighs around 100 to 110 grams, which is similar to a small apple.
Like many thrushes, this bird has brown feathers on its back and lighter feathers on its belly. Its belly feathers have a cool, scaly pattern. A unique feature of the forest thrush is the wide, bare skin around its eyes. This makes its eyes stand out!
Where Does It Live?
This thrush is an endemic species, which means it only lives in one specific area. For the forest thrush, that area is the Lesser Antilles. This is a group of islands in the sunny Caribbean.
You can find this bird, though it's not very common, on islands like Dominica, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, and Saint Lucia. It prefers to live in tropical, moist mountain forests. These are forests found on the sides of mountains, usually with a thick, closed roof of tree leaves above.
Different Kinds of Forest Thrushes
There are two main types, or subspecies, of the forest thrush. One lives on the island of Montserrat, and the other lives on Dominica. You can tell them apart by the scaly pattern on their chests and bellies.
The Dominica thrush has a white belly and a scaly pattern mostly on its chest. The Montserrat thrush has scales that go all the way from its chest down to its upper belly.
Its Daily Life and Challenges
The forest thrush is a diurnal bird. This means it is active during the day, looking for food and moving around.
Sadly, the forest thrush faces a threat from habitat loss. This happens when the forests where it lives are cut down or changed by people. Even with these challenges, scientists believe the number of forest thrushes is staying steady.
 | Kyle Baker |
 | Joseph Yoakum |
 | Laura Wheeler Waring |
 | Henry Ossawa Tanner |
