Black Thrush

About the Black Thrush

The black thrush (Turdus infuscatus) is a species of bird in the family Turdidae, the thrushes and allies. It is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. It was formerly known as the black robin. The black thrush was originally described in 1844 as Merula infuscata. It was later reassigned to its present genus Turdus that had been erected in 1758. For a time it and the glossy-black thrush (T. serranus) were treated as conspecific but molecular studies determined that they are separate species and not closely related. The black thrush's closest relative is the sooty thrush (T. nigrescens).

The black thrush is monotypic. The black thrush is 22 to 23 cm (8.7 to 9.1 in) long and weighs about 60 to 90 g (2.1 to 3.2 oz). The species is sexually dimorphic. Adult males are almost entirely black with a slightly duller and more slaty belly and undertail coverts. They have a bright yellow ring of bare skin around the eye. Adult females have an olive brown head with dusky brown streaks on the cheeks and a dark brown eye ring. Their upperparts, tail, and upper surface of the wings are olive brown. Their chin and throat are whitish with... Wikipedia →