Russet-tailed Thrush

The russet-tailed thrush, known scientifically as Zoothera heinei, is a member of the Turdidae family. This avian species shares a close relation with the more widespread Bassian thrush, Zoothera lunulata.

Identification Tips

To identify the russet-tailed thrush, one should look for its distinctive russet coloring on the tail, which contrasts with its otherwise more subdued plumage.

Habitat

The russet-tailed thrush is known to inhabit temperate forests as well as subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, where it can be observed flitting through the understory.

Distribution

This bird is found in the eastern regions of Australia and extends its range into Papua New Guinea, showcasing a preference for the forested landscapes within these areas.

Subspecies

There are four recognized subspecies of the russet-tailed thrush:

• Z. h. papuensis, which resides in montane regions from west-central to northeast and southeast New Guinea.
• Z. h. eichhorni, found on St. Matthias in the north Bismarck Archipelago.
• Z. h. choiseuli, from montane Choiseul in the north-central Solomon Islands, with a single record dating back to 1904.
• Z. h. heinei, which calls east-central and southeast Queensland to southeast New South Wales in eastern Australia its home.

Conservation Status

The IUCN has classified the russet-tailed thrush as Least Concern, indicating that, at present, there are no immediate threats to its population numbers that would warrant a more urgent conservation status.