- Turdus hortulorum
Identification
20–23 cm (7-9 in)
Male
- Grey upperparts and breast
- Bright orange sides to breast and flanks
Female
- Olive brown upperparts and head
- Dark malar
- Bold spots on orange breast and flanks
Distribution
Breeds in East Siberia, Russia (mainly Amurland and Ussuriland) and northern China (Manchuria). Has once bred in Korea.
Winters in south and south-east China and north Vietnam.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Habitat
Oakwoods and mixed woods, often near water. In winter also in open woods, bamboo and scrub.
Behaviour
Shy and unapproachable.
Diet
Feeds on invertebrates and their larvae, foraging on the ground.
Usually alone or in pairs, in winter also in small flocks.
Breeding
Breeds from early May to mid August. The nest is a cup made of dry grasses and twigs, well hidden in a bush or a tree fork, up to 2m above the ground. Lays 4 to 5 eggs.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2014. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.9., with updates to August 2014. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved June 2015)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Grey-backed Thrush. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 9 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Grey-backed_Thrush
