Whistling thrush is the common name for several species of thrushes found across Asia, Africa, and Australia that are known for their loud, melodious whistling songs. There are around 24 recognized species of whistling thrush found in multiple genera including Myophonus, Geokichla, and Turdus. These medium-sized songbirds have predominantly grey, black, and blue plumage along with distinctive whistling vocalizations. Some of the most widespread and well-known whistling thrush species include the island thrush, grey whistling thrush, orange-headed thrush, blue whistling thrush, and shrike thrush.
What are the identifying features of whistling thrush?
Whistling thrushes share several common identifying features:
– Medium sized between 7-12 inches in length
– Stocky thrush body shape with an upright stance
– Strong legs and feet adapted for terrestrial living
– Omnivorous diet consisting of insects, fruit, seeds and small animals
– Distinctive loud whistling and fluting song
– Cryptic predominantly grey, black and blue plumage patterns
– Shy and secretive habits but will sing from open perches
The plumage patterns allow whistling thrushes to blend into the dense undergrowth of forest floors where they predominantly live. Their whistling vocalizations carry far through the forest environment.
What habitats do they occupy?
Whistling thrushes occupy a range of forest and woodland habitats across their widespread Asian and African ranges including:
– Tropical rainforests
– Monsoon forests
– Temperate broadleaf forests
– Alpine scrub and forests
– Eucalypt woodlands
They demonstrate a preference for wetter, dense habitats in both lowland and montane environments that have a thick understory where they can forage and take cover. Some species have adapted to drier woodlands and human modified environments. Whistling thrushes are not migratory and maintain year-round territories though some populations may make altitudinal movements.
What is their geographic distribution?
Whistling thrushes have an extensive distribution across:
– Southeast Asia from India to Indonesia
– East Asia including China, Japan, Korea and Russia
– Subsaharan Africa
– Indonesia and New Guinea
– Northern and eastern Australia
The genus Myophonus contains the majority of species occurring from India to China and Southeast Asia. The genus Geokichia occurs solely in Indonesia. Turdus species are found in Africa, Indonesia, and Australia. No whistling thrushes are found in the Americas or Europe.
How many species of whistling thrush exist?
There are approximately 24 recognized species of whistling thrush including:
| Island thrush | Myophonus insularis |
| Blue whistling thrush | Myophonus caeruleus |
| Javan whistling thrush | Myophonus glaucinus |
| Sunda whistling thrush | Myophonus melanurus |
| Bornean whistling thrush | Myophonus borneensis |
| Lesser shortwing | Brachypteryx leucophris |
| Rusty-bellied shortwing | Brachypteryx hyperythra |
| Grey whistling thrush | Myophonus caeruleus |
| Taiwan whistling thrush | Myophonus insularis |
| Javan whistling thrush | Myophonus glaucinus |
| Sunda whistling thrush | Myophonus melanurus |
| Bornean whistling thrush | Myophonus borneensis |
| Black-and-crimson oriole | Oriolus cruentus |
| Silver-eared mesia | Leiothrix argentauris |
| Grey-cheeked fulvetta | Alcippe morrisonia |
| Yellow-bellied fantail | Rhipidura hyperythra |
| Spectacled fulvetta | Alcippe ruficapilla |
| Grey-headed canary-flycatcher | Culicicapa ceylonensis |
| Orange-headed thrush | Geokichla citrina |
| Shrike thrush | Colluricincla harmonica |
| Alpine thrush | Zoothera mollissima |
This list comprises most of the major whistling thrush species though new ones continue to be discovered and some taxonomic revisions are ongoing. The blue whistling thrush and grey whistling thrush are among the most familiar and widespread species.
What do they look like?
Whistling thrushes have predominantly grey, black, and blue plumage that provides camouflage in their forested habitats:
– Head patterns are highly variable with black, grey, rufous, or blue crowns and facial markings
– Mantle and back feathers are dark grey or blackish
– Rump is often blue or rufous in color
– Throat and chest is light grey, white, black, or rufous
– Belly and undertail feathers are commonly white with black barring
– Strong legs and feet are pinkish, yellow, or black
– Bill is black, grey, or yellowish; may be hooked at tip
– Most have no distinct plumage differences between sexes
The degree of blue, black, grey, and rufous plumage varies significantly across species and geographic populations. For example, the blue whistling thrush has brilliant blue upperparts while the shrike thrush has warm rufous underparts.
What do they sound like?
The vocalizations of whistling thrushes give them their common name:
– Loud, melodious whistled songs carry far through dense forest
– Song consists of a mix of clear whistling along with other calls like chatter, clicks, wheezes, and trills
– Songs have haunting, ringing quality; often compared to a human whistling or flute
– Dawn and dusk chorus singing is most frequent but will sing at any part of day
– Range of simpler contact calls for maintaining contact in vegetation
– Young beg with loud, shrill chirping calls to parents
The whistled vocalizations are highly complex and among the most elaborated of any bird species. Their song functions to attract mates and defend territories.
What do they eat?
Whistling thrushes are omnivorous, feeding on a wide variety of food items:
– Insects like beetles, moths, crickets, termites, and ants
– Earthworms
– Snails and other small invertebrates
– Berries and small fruits
– Seeds and grain
– Nectar from certain flowering plants
– Small vertebrates like frogs, lizards and nestling rodents
They forage by turning over leaf litter and debris on forest floors with their bills and feet to uncover prey. Species that live around human habitations will also take table scraps and food waste.
How do they reproduce and raise young?
Whistling thrushes exhibit breeding behaviors typical of many thrush species:
– Generally monogamous, pairing for a single breeding season
– Build a cup-shaped nest out of moss, leaves, grass and mud on a tree branch, stump, ledge, or crevice
– Clutch size is usually 2-5 eggs that are greenish-blue with dark spotting
– Incubation lasts 12-18 days; done by female only
– Altricial hatchlings are fed by both parents for 14-21 days
– Leave nest before able to fly; parents continue feeding them
– Some species can produce two broods per breeding season
Pairs display bonding behaviors like duetting vocalizations and allopreening. The male will sing loudly from the nest site to proclaim breeding territory. Both parents aggressively defend the nest from potential predators.
What is their conservation status?
Most whistling thrush species have a conservation status of Least Concern:
– Still widespread and locally common in native range
– Tolerant of some habitat modification by humans
– Some species now rare and endangered like Bornean whistling thrush
– Suffer from deforestation for logging and agricultural expansion
– Nest predation from expansion of human commensals like cats and rodents
Further habitat loss poses the greatest conservation threat. Strict legal protections on forest habitats and anti-poaching measures help conserve populations. Captive breeding and reintroduction programs may be needed for rarer species.
Where can I see them?
Good locations to see whistling thrushes include:
– Tropical rainforests across Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines etc)
– Himalayan forests of Nepal, India, Bhutan for multiple species
– Hill forest reserves outside of Sydney and Cairns in Australia
– Montane forests of Honshu and Hokkaido in Japan
– Protected forests of China like Wuyishan Nature Reserve
– Central highlands of Sri Lanka including Horton Plains Park
Their melodious songs betray their presence but they can be difficult to actually observe in dense vegetation. Birdwatchers should listen for singing in early morning and use squeaking and pishing sounds to try to attract them into view.
Why are they called whistling thrush?
Whistling thrushes get both parts of their common name from distinct traits:
Whistling – Refers to their loud, melodious whistled vocalizations that carry far through forests
Thrush – They are medium-sized songbirds classified taxonomically in the thrush family Turdidae
Other names like whistling schoolboy and whistling bulbul capture the whistling songs. Their scientific genus names Myophonus and Geokichla also refer to their musical voices.
Conclusion
In summary, whistling thrushes comprise around 24 species of medium-sized songbirds found across Asia, Africa, and Australia. They occupy forested habitats and are talented vocalists, singing beautiful whistling songs. Most species have cryptic plumage patterns in grey, black and blue. They feed on invertebrates and fruit. While deforestation threatens some species, most whistling thrushes remain common across their extensive range. Birdwatchers travel far and wide to tropical forests around the world to spot these birds and hear their melodious songs carrying through the trees.
