Spectacled thrush facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Spectacled thrush
Adult spectacled thrush in Tobago, showing eyering for which it is named
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Turdidae
Genus:	Turdus
Species:	T. nudigenis
Binomial name
Turdus nudigenis Lafresnaye, 1848
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The Spectacled Thrush is a cool bird known by a few names, like the Bare-eyed Thrush or Yellow-eyed Thrush. Its scientific name is Turdus nudigenis. This bird lives in the Lesser Antilles islands and in parts of South America. You can find it from Colombia and Venezuela all the way to northern Brazil. In Trinidad and Tobago, people sometimes call it the big-eye grieve.

There's another bird, the Ecuadorian Thrush, which looks similar. It used to be thought of as a type of Spectacled Thrush. But now, scientists usually see it as its own separate species. The Ecuadorian Thrush has a thinner yellow ring around its eye. It lives only in forests in western Ecuador and northwestern Peru.

What Does the Spectacled Thrush Look Like?

The Spectacled Thrush is about 23 to 24 centimeters (9 to 9.5 inches) long. It weighs around 60 grams (2.1 ounces), which is about as much as a small apple. This bird is mostly olive-brown on its back. Its belly is a lighter brown, and its lower tummy is almost white.

The most special thing about this bird is the bright yellow ring around its eye. This yellow ring is how it got its name, "spectacled" and "bare-eyed." Young birds have a thinner eye ring. They also have small spots on their feathers.

Sounds and Calls

The Spectacled Thrush sings a lovely, musical song. It sounds slower and deeper than the song of the cocoa thrush. This bird also makes a call that sounds a bit like a cat saying queeoow. If it feels worried, it might make a kereel sound.

Where Does the Spectacled Thrush Live?

This large thrush likes to live in open woodlands. You can also find it in clearings within forests and in farm areas. It prefers places where there are trees but also open spaces.

What Does the Spectacled Thrush Eat?

The Bare-eyed Thrush mostly looks for food on or near the ground. It loves to eat fruits and berries. It also eats some insects and earthworms. This bird is usually quite shy. However, in Trinidad and Tobago, it is much tamer. There, it might even visit bird feeders or pick up food from tables!

Home and Family: Reproduction and Life Cycle

The Spectacled Thrush builds a nest that looks like a big cup. It uses twigs and lines the inside with soft materials. The nest is usually built low down in a tree.

The female bird lays two to three eggs. These eggs are a deep blue color with reddish spots. The mother bird sits on the eggs to keep them warm until they hatch.