Várzea Thrush

About the Várzea Thrush

The varzea thrush (Turdus sanchezorum) is a species of bird in the family Turdidae. It is found in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. The varzea thrush has a somewhat complicated taxonomic history. What became its type specimen was collected in 1961 and identified as a Hauxwell's thrush (Turdus hauxwelli). As more specimens were collected, this individual was thought to be a minority color morph of Hauxwell's. Later encounters with the bird determined that its plumage differences were consistently different and its vocalizations were very different from those of Hauxwell's, and in 2011 it was described as a full species. Genetic work showed that it is not closely related to Hauxwell's but is sister to the unicolored thrush (T. haplochrous) as a member of the spectacled thrush (T. nudigenis) complex. The specific epithet honors the authors' "long-time field companions and friends Manuel Sánchez S. and Marta Chávez de Sánchez". The varzea thrush is monotypic.

The varzea thrush is about 22 to 24 cm (8.7 to 9.4 in) long and weighs about 58 g (2.0 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a rich sepia-brown head with a dull orange eye-ring... Wikipedia →