ID Keys: Gray upperparts and head, white eyebrow and chin, orangish
flanks and breast, white belly
The
Eyebrowed Thrush is an Asian thrush species, normally found in Siberia in
the summer and southeastern Asia in the winter. They have become
rather regular spring visitors to the western Aleutian islands of Alaska, as
well as the islands of the Bering Sea. Even more rare in North America
are the handful of sightings on the mainland, with sightings in eastern
(coastal) Alaska, Washington state, and California. They have also been seen
as a vagrant in parts of Europe.
Habitat
The Eyebrowed Thrush breeds in boreal and mixed forests of eastern Siberia, favoring areas with dense understory vegetation and nearby openings. During migration and winter, it occupies a variety of wooded habitats, including forest edges, parks, gardens, orchards, and shrubby areas. It is often found where trees and berry-producing shrubs provide both cover and food.
Diet
The Eyebrowed Thrush feeds on a variety of insects and other small invertebrates during the breeding season, including beetles, caterpillars, and worms. In migration and winter, its diet shifts toward fruits and berries, which can make up a large portion of its food intake. It typically forages on the ground or in low vegetation, searching leaf litter and shrubs for food.
Behavior
Much of the foraging of an Eyebrowed Thrush occurs on the ground, with a bird hopping and periodically stopping as it searches for food. They will also clamber through vegetation at times to glean insects, or foraging in the forest canopy or undergrowth for fruits and berries.
Nesting
The nest of an Eyebrowed Thrush is a cup, constructed of grasses, twigs, moss, strips of bark, and other material, placed in a tree from 4 to 20 feet high. The female lays between 3 and 6 eggs, and she alone incubates them. The young hatch after about 2 weeks.
Song
The Eyebrowed Thrush has a pleasant, melodious song composed of clear, flutelike phrases and varied whistles, similar to the songs of other thrushes. Males sing primarily during the breeding season from exposed perches within forest habitats. The species also gives a variety of short calls, including sharp tseep and chattering notes used for contact and alarm.
Migration
Strongly migratory. During the summer breeding season, Eyebrowed Thrush are found in Siberia and northern China. During the winter months, they are found in Indonesia and other parts of southeastern Asia.
Feeders
Will sometimes attend feeders for offered fruits, berries, and nuts.
Very similar to American Robin . They are generally duller and less "bright", and the darker throat is another featured which distinguishes the Eyebrowed Thrush. The obvious supercillium is an obvious plumage feature, yet some possible records of Eyebrowed Thrush in the U.S. have been dismissed as possible "atypical" American Robins. A western race of American Robins may sometimes have a pale looking supercillium. Another rare Asian vagrant, the Dusky Thrush , may also be potentially confused with the Eyebrowed Thrush due to the strong eyebrow pattern on both species. They could also be confused with Redwing , a Eurasian species that is a rare vagrant in North America.
Conservation Status
Populations of Eyebrowed Thrush aren't well understood, but they are found over a relatively broad geographic area and are present in sufficient numbers to preclude any evidence of an imminent threat to the species. The IUCN lists the Eyebrowed Thrush as a species of "Least Concern".
Photo Information
Photo taken for watch-bird.blogspot.tw - Photo licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License .
