Thai National Parks

Species of Thailand

Dusky thrush

Turdus eunomus, Coenraad Jacob Temminck, 1820

(In Thai: นกเดินดงอกลายดำ)

The dusky thrush (Turdus eunomus) is a member of the thrush family which breeds eastwards from central Siberia to Kamchatka wintering to Japan, South China and Myanmar. It is closely related to the more southerly breeding Naumann's thrush T. naumanni; the two have often been regarded as conspecific. The scientific name comes from Latin Turdus, "thrush" and Ancient Greek eunomos, "orderly".

This species breeds in open woodland areas, but unlike Naumann's thrush, the dusky thrush is more tolerant of mountainous and tundra-edge habitats. This species is strongly migratory, wintering south to southeast Asia, principally in China and neighbouring countries. It is a rare vagrant to western Europe. In December 2016 a sighting of one in the Derbyshire in the United Kingdom brought hundreds of birdwatchers to see it.

It nests in trees, laying 3-5 eggs in an untidy but neatly lined nest. Migrating birds and wintering birds often form small flocks. It is omnivorous, eating a wide range of insects, especially mosquitoes, earthworms and berries.

This is a medium-sized but stocky thrush, reminiscent in structure of a small fieldfare. The underwing is reddish brown, and there is a pale .

Dusky thrush has a dark brown back and rump; the face, breast, and flank spots rump are black and the belly and undertail are white. Naumann's thrush in comparison has a paler brown back and head; the face, breast, flank spots and rump are reddish, and the belly and undertail are white.

The female is fairly similar to the male, but immatures have a weaker patterning.

The male dusky thrush has a simple fluted or whistling song, similar to the redwing. There are suggestions that the songs of dusky and Naumann's thrush differ.

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Category / Seasonal Status

Wiki listed status (concerning Thai population): Irruptive in winter

BCST Category: Recorded in an apparently wild state within the last 50 years

BCST Seasonal status: Non-breeding visitor

Scientific classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Turdidae
Genus
Turdus
Species
Turdus eunomus

Common names

  • Thai: นกเดินดงอกลายดำ

Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN3.1)

Least Concern (IUCN3.1)

Photos

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Dusky thrush
Turdus eunomus

Range Map

Distribution map of Dusky thrush, Turdus eunomus in Thailand
  • Doi Inthanon National Park
  • Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park
  • Doi Suthep - Pui National Park
  • Samut Prakan Province
Range map of Turdus eunomus in Thailand