The mountain thrush (Turdus plebejus) is a large thrush which is found in Central America. It was formerly known as the mountain robin. Some authorities refer to it as the American mountain thrush to differentiate it from the Abyssinian thrush (Turdus abyssinicus), known in their taxonomy as the African mountain thrush.[2]
The mountain thrush resembles other Turdus thrushes in general appearance and habits. It is 23–26 cm (9.1–10.2 in) long and weighs 86 g (3.0 oz) on average. The adult is uniformly dull olive-brown with faint white streaks on the throat. The bill is black and the legs are dark brown. The juvenile resembles the adult, but has buff or orange streaks on the head and upperparts, and dark spotting on the underparts. Two superficially similar relatives share this species range: the sooty thrush is blacker with an orange bill, eye ring and legs, and the clay-colored thrush is much paler and yellow-billed.
There are three poorly defined subspecies:
T. p. plebejus — Cabanis, 1861 — nominate, found in the mountains of Costa Rica and western Panama, described above
T. p. differens — (Nelson, 1901) — found from the Pacific slope of Mexico to CaribbeanGuatemala is more olive above, and more olive brown and less grey below
T. p. rafaelensis — Miller, W & Griscom, 1925 — found in the highlands from Honduras to northwestern Nicaragua is intermediate between the northern and southern subspecies above, and is often merged with differens
Distribution and habitatedit
This is a bird of tall mountain forests and adjacent more open areas and woodland edge which breeds in highlands from southern Mexico to western Panama. Its preference is for oak with many epiphytes and mosses, normally from 1,800 m (5,900 ft) altitude to the timberline. It descends in flocks as low as 900 m (3,000 ft) in the wet season.
Behaviouredit
The mountain thrush behaves like other thrushes. It forages on large branches or on the ground, in flocks when not breeding, progressing in hops and dashes with frequent stops. It turns leaf litter seeking small fruits, insects and spiders.
Breedingedit
It builds a grass or rootlet-lined large cup nest, concealed amongst epiphytes, 3–12 m (9.8–39.4 ft) above the ground on a tree branch. The female lays 2–3 unmarked greenish-blue eggs between March and June. The breeding season song is an unthrushlike mechanical monotone chip chip cher chip chip cher cher, and the call is a high seee or whip.
Referencesedit
^BirdLife International (2018). "Turdus plebejus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22708894A132078100. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22708894A132078100.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
Mountain Robin photo gallery at VIREO (Drexel University)
Mountain Thrush species account at Neotropical Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Interactive range map of Turdus plebejus at IUCN Red List maps
December 15, 2023
mountain, thrush, mountain, thrush, turdus, plebejus, large, thrush, which, found, central, america, formerly, known, mountain, robin, some, authorities, refer, american, mountain, thrush, differentiate, from, abyssinian, thrush, turdus, abyssinicus, known, th. The mountain thrush Turdus plebejus is a large thrush which is found in Central America It was formerly known as the mountain robin Some authorities refer to it as the American mountain thrush to differentiate it from the Abyssinian thrush Turdus abyssinicus known in their taxonomy as the African mountain thrush 2 Mountain thrushConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder PasseriformesFamily TurdidaeGenus TurdusSpecies T plebejusBinomial nameTurdus plebejusCabanis 1861 Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Behaviour 3 1 Breeding 4 References 5 External linksDescription editThe mountain thrush resembles other Turdus thrushes in general appearance and habits It is 23 26 cm 9 1 10 2 in long and weighs 86 g 3 0 oz on average The adult is uniformly dull olive brown with faint white streaks on the throat The bill is black and the legs are dark brown The juvenile resembles the adult but has buff or orange streaks on the head and upperparts and dark spotting on the underparts Two superficially similar relatives share this species range the sooty thrush is blacker with an orange bill eye ring and legs and the clay colored thrush is much paler and yellow billed There are three poorly defined subspecies T p plebejus Cabanis 1861 nominate found in the mountains of Costa Rica and western Panama described above T p differens Nelson 1901 found from the Pacific slope of Mexico to Caribbean Guatemala is more olive above and more olive brown and less grey below T p rafaelensis Miller W amp Griscom 1925 found in the highlands from Honduras to northwestern Nicaragua is intermediate between the northern and southern subspecies above and is often merged with differensDistribution and habitat editThis is a bird of tall mountain forests and adjacent more open areas and woodland edge which breeds in highlands from southern Mexico to western Panama Its preference is for oak with many epiphytes and mosses normally from 1 800 m 5 900 ft altitude to the timberline It descends in flocks as low as 900 m 3 000 ft in the wet season Behaviour editThe mountain thrush behaves like other thrushes It forages on large branches or on the ground in flocks when not breeding progressing in hops and dashes with frequent stops It turns leaf litter seeking small fruits insects and spiders Breeding edit It builds a grass or rootlet lined large cup nest concealed amongst epiphytes 3 12 m 9 8 39 4 ft above the ground on a tree branch The female lays 2 3 unmarked greenish blue eggs between March and June The breeding season song is an unthrushlike mechanical monotone chip chip cher chip chip cher cher and the call is a high seee or whip References edit BirdLife International 2018 Turdus plebejus IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018 e T22708894A132078100 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2018 2 RLTS T22708894A132078100 en Retrieved 13 November 2021 BirdLife species factsheet for Turdus plebejus Clement Peter Hathaway Ren 2000 Thrushes London Christopher Helm ISBN 0 7136 3940 7 Stiles F Gary Skutch Alexander F 1989 A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica Comstock Publishing Associates ISBN 0 8014 9600 4 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Turdus plebejus nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Turdus plebejus American Mountain Thrush media Internet Bird Collection Mountain Robin photo gallery at VIREO Drexel University Mountain Thrush species account at Neotropical Birds Cornell Lab of Ornithology Interactive range map of Turdus plebejus at IUCN Red List maps Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mountain thrush amp oldid 1111535545, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
