Family Turdidae Order Passerine | Class Aves Phylum Chordata Rank Subspecies | |
Similar Island thrush, True thrush, Passerine, Collared bush robin, Rusty laughingthrush | ||
Taiwan thrush
The Taiwan thrush (Turdus poliocephalus niveiceps) is a bird in the thrush family. It is the most northerly subspecies of the island thrush (Turdus poliocephalus) and is endemic to the island of Taiwan.
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Taxonomy
As the most sexually dimorphic of all island thrush subspecies, it is a good candidate for reclassification as a full species.
Description
The male Taiwan thrush has black upperparts except for a white head and throat. The underparts are mainly dark orange with a blackish upper breast. The female has similar patterning but is duller, with a brown back, grayish brown head with a white streak behind the eye, buff throat and upper breast streaked brown, and with duller orange underparts. Its bill, legs and feet are yellow. Males and females are similar in size, about 22 cm in length.
Distribution and habitat
The subspecies is a rare resident of central Taiwan’s mountain forests at altitudes of 1800–2500 m.
Feeding
The Taiwan thrush forages through trees, low vegetation, and on the ground in leaf litter. Its diet includes a variety of invertebrates as well as seeds, berries and fruit.