Scaly Thrush

About the Scaly Thrush

The scaly thrush (Zoothera dauma) is a member of the thrush family Turdidae. It breeds in dense wet forests in the Himalayas east through southwestern China to northern Indochina, and with disjunct populations (but possibly separate species) on Iriomote Island off southern Japan, and on Sumatra and Java in Indonesia.

The sexes are similar, 27–31 cm long, with black scaling on a paler white or yellowish background. The most striking identification feature in flight is the black band on the white underwings, a feature shared with most other species in the genus Zoothera, and also Siberian thrush in the genus Geokichla. The male has a song which is a loud, far-carrying mechanical whistle, with 5-10 second pauses between each one second long phrase twee...tuuu....tuuu....tuuu.

Three subspecies are currently accepted: Z. d. dauma — Himalayas east to southwest China, south to northern Thailand; a short-distance altitudinal migrant, dropping to foothills in winter Z. d. horsfieldi — Sumatra, Java, Bali, Lombok and Sumbawa; resident

Z. d. iriomotensis — Iriomote Island; resident Several other similar thrushes which were formerly... Wikipedia →