Grey-sided Thrush

The Grey-sided Thrush, Turdus feae, presents itself as a medium-sized thrush adorned with a warm-brown plumage. A distinctive white supercilium and a crescent mark below the eye grace its visage. The male boasts rufescent-olive upperparts that extend to the crown and ear-coverts, paired with grey underparts that fade into a paler hue towards the belly and vent. The female, on the other hand, is characterized by a white throat, a whiter breast and belly center, and may exhibit dark spots or streaks on the throat sides and upper breast, with warm brownish fringes on the breast feathers.

Identification Tips

To identify the Grey-sided Thrush, look for the white supercilium and crescent below the eye, the rufescent-olive upperparts in males, and the white throat with possible dark streaks in females. The grey underparts that become paler towards the belly are also key identification features.

Habitat

This species favors subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, where it can be found during its non-breeding season.

Distribution

The Grey-sided Thrush is a migratory bird, breeding in the mountainous regions of north-east China and journeying to India and Indochina. It has also been spotted in Daman, Makwanpur in Nepal, and as a vagrant in north-eastern Bangladesh.

Behaviour

On the ground or occasionally in the trees, the Grey-sided Thrush is known to forage for insects and berries. It often keeps the company of the Eyebrowed Thrush, Turdus obscurus. The species has also been observed feeding on nectar from the flowers of the shingle tree, Acrocarpus fraxinifolius.

Conservation status

The Grey-sided Thrush is currently classified as Vulnerable, with habitat loss and fragmentation posing significant threats to its survival.