White-necked Thrush? (1 Viewer)

Here is a thrush I photographed in Caraca PN, Minas Gerais, Brazil. In my notes I recorded this as White-necked Thrush, Turdus albicollis. That would be new for the database, but I am not sure these photos document the bird, and since the striking white neck isn't visible here, I could have been wrong in the identification.

It looks like it has a black bill, possibly with a yellow lower mandible, which is consistant with T. albicollis. It is also very dark, with some white streaking on the throat. There does not seem to be an eye-ring, which T. albicollis should have. The legs are dark, ruling out female Yellow-legged Thrush, P. flavipes.

The common thrush in the area is Rufous-bellied, T. rufiventris. Does the dark bill rule out rufiventris, or can the bill be dark, perhaps in a female?

Pale-breasted Thrush (T. leucomelas) and Creamy-bellied Thrush (T amaurochalinus) could be present. The former should probably have more contrast between the rusty wings and grey head. The latter could have a black bill in a female. Is this bird too dark on the back?

It may be hopeless- I don't have enough experience looking closely at these birds. I need to go back and work on it, for sure.

Anyway, do these images document White-necked Thrush?

Thanks for help,

Jeff

Hi Jeff

I am not completely convinced it is a White-necked Thrush, something about the beak just doesn't seem right. But I am no expert and there are plenty more knowledgable people here who can help you.

The least I can do is "bump" your thread up to the top where it my attract more attention, as I am curious too!!!

Taryn o

First of all, Pale-breasted is easily excluded as the contrast between the head and the back is rather distinct in this species. Creamy-breasted Thrush can have a bill very similar to this, but they always have blackish lores. Rufous-bellied can also have a bill somewhat like this, but their rufous belly is so distinctive that any misidentification usually is impossible - didn't you see the underparts at all? Furthermore, adults of this species always have an orangish eye-ring as far as I know. So, looking at the White-necked Thrush as a possibility; not too pleased about the bill in that case. Here's a direct quote from the account for the White-necked Thrush (p. 123) from Ridgley & Tudor "Birds of South America" vol. I (1989) and it fits well with the relatively few individuals I have observed in this part of its range:

"...paraguayensis and the nominate race (se. Brazil, e. Paraguay, and ne. Argentina)... have bill mostly yellow (only the ridge is black)... [ssp.] crotopezus (ne. Brazil)... has lower mandible yellowish [and upper dark]"

First, third & fourth photo in the thread-starter clearly show a mainly dark bill with a yellowish cutting edge only.

There is also the complete lack of eye-ring that you mention yourself (the problem with eye-rings is that they are almost non-existant in juv.'s of most thrushes). Furthermore, the throat seem almost unstreaked, while it in (at least ad.) White-necked is rather distinct. Looking at jizz I can't help thinking Cocoa, though it obviously isn't and angle is difficult. On the other hand this leads me to a very tentative guess of this being a female (or perhaps imm.) Eastern Slaty Thrush. Note that a few guidebooks show this species with bright yellow legs, while they in reality range from rather dull yellowish to dusky (with greyish tones being by far the commonest from my experiance). Females of this species usually have darkish bills with a variable amount of yellowish tones. From this angle they are very similar to White-necked, but have less throat streaking. They also have the whitish crescent on the lower throat, which could explain why it originally was ID'ed as being a White-necked. I know the Andean relatively well (the two are sometimes considered conspecific), and (young?) females of this species sometimes have almost no eye-ring. I can't say if the same is the case for the Brazilian counterpart, but it seems likely. Regardless, this ID is very tentative...

I did see more of the birdn but did not take notes at the time. We were not really birding, but just going for a walk, with some non-birding Brazilian friends. I just happened to have my scope along, as long as we were there in Caraca. The thrush flew across the road in front of us, and landed in the tree as photographed, facing away. I had seen a good number of Rufous-bellied Thrushes, in the week before, and gotten a nice photgraph of one singing on the trail up to the chapel.

My memory is that it was dark below, and there was white about the neck. At the time, I looked quickly in Deodato Souza's All the Birds of Brazil, and determined it to be a White-necked Thrush. I took the photos, and thought they would confirm the ID - I thought there was more of the white on the throat and neck, but the bird must have turned. (my camera is very slow to get an image) In the meantime, my companions were getting ahead, and I hurried to catch up. I hate to rely on my memory, though. After studying the plates, does my recollection acquire some of the traits illustrated?

That's my problem, I have trouble being too focused on birds, and enjoy walking with friends as well as birding. If I pick up some birds on the way, that's gravy. Of course I also go birding on occasion, and that's nice too.

Cheers,

Jeff

Yes, I've learned from experiance that either I go birding, or, if walking with non-birding friends - I don't! At least unless something truly exiting pays a visit...

Anyway, assuming that a) it didn't have a rufous-orange belly & b) it did have a white crescent on the chest, then we quite probably are looking at a female (or imm.) Eastern Slaty Thrush. It should also be mentioned that the sympatric race of White-necked Thrush has rufous flanks. Still, there is obviously some uncertainty as we have to assume a & b are correct and - even then - the ID is rather tentative.