Karoo Thrush
Turdus smithi
Silhouette: Sharon Wegner-Larsen · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyTurdidae (Thrushes)
- GenusTurdus (Typical Thrushes)
- SpeciesTurdus smithi (Karoo Thrush)
About the Karoo Thrush
The Karoo thrush (Turdus smithi), also known as Smith's thrush, is a member of the thrush family in Africa. It has traditionally been considered a subspecies of the olive thrush (with which it is known to hybridize), but is increasingly treated as a separate species. The specific name honours the Scottish military surgeon and zoologist Sir Andrew Smith.
This medium-sized bird has a length of about 24 cm. It has a wing length between 117 and 131 mm, a culmen length between 20 and 24 mm and a tarsus length between 30.0 and 34.5 mm. It can reach a mass of at least 86 g. It differs from the olive thrush by its longer, entirely yellow bill, its longer wings, and its greyer flanks.
It occurs in South Africa, where it is present in Little Namaqualand, the Karoo and Northern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and parts of the North West Province. Bo T Bonnevie, The biology of suburban Olive Thrushes (Turdus olivaceus olivaceus) in the Eastern Cape, South Africa (2005). M.Sc. thesis, Rhodes University, South Africa
Olive/Karoo Thrush identification Birds of Southern Africa - Karoo Thrush Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Karoo Thrush in Addo Elephant National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Addo Elephant National Park
Olive Thrush
Turdus olivaceus
Groundscraper Thrush
Psophocichla litsitsirupa
Southern Fiscal
Lanius collaris
Fork-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus adsimilis
Cape Wagtail
Motacilla capensis
Red-shouldered Glossy-starling
Lamprotornis nitens
Cape Crow
Corvus capensis
Pied Crow
Corvus albus
Bokmakierie
Telophorus zeylonus
Sombre Greenbul
Andropadus importunus
Southern Boubou
Laniarius ferrugineus
Fiscal Flycatcher
Sigelus silens
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Golden Gate Highlands National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Pilanesberg National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 5 | Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 6 | Namib-Naukluft National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Karoo Thrush in Addo Elephant National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Karoo Thrush sighting in Addo Elephant National Park, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Karoo Thrush in Addo Elephant National Park?
April has the highest sighting rate for Karoo Thrush in Addo Elephant National Park in our monthly data.