Red-legged Thrush

The Red-legged Thrush, Turdus plumbeus, presents itself as a rather large thrush, typically measuring 27 cm in length. This bird is adorned with a bluish-grey plumage on its upper parts and a lighter grey on the underparts. Its throat is a striking white and black, giving a striped appearance. The species is easily identified by its bright orange-red legs, bill, and eye ring, although there is notable variation in plumage among the subspecies.

Identification Tips

To identify the Red-legged Thrush, look for its bluish-grey upperparts and lighter grey underparts, along with the distinctive white and black striped throat. The bright orange-red legs, bill, and eye ring are key features. Subspecies may vary in the extent of white in the throat and malar area, as well as the presence of beige-orange or orange coloration on the rear flanks, belly, and vent.

Habitat

The Red-legged Thrush favors a variety of forested environments, ranging from subtropical or tropical dry forests to moist lowland and montane forests. It is also known to inhabit areas of heavily degraded former forest. This bird is akin to the American Robin in its habits, often being a common sight in gardens and lawns within its range.

Distribution

Native to the Caribbean, the Red-legged Thrush is found across the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Hispaniola (comprising the Dominican Republic and Haiti), and Puerto Rico. It was once present on the Swan Islands of Honduras but has since been extirpated there.

Behaviour

The Red-legged Thrush is a bird of the Caribbean forests, but it is also comfortable in human-altered landscapes. It shares ecological similarities with the American Robin, being a familiar visitor to gardens and lawns.

Song & Calls

The call of the Red-legged Thrush is a distinctive sound within its natural habitat, contributing to the rich tapestry of Caribbean bird song.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the Red-legged Thrush is predominantly frugivorous, with fruits making up the majority of its intake. However, it is also an opportunistic feeder on animal matter, consuming insects such as caterpillars, beetles, ants, crickets, and wasps, along with the occasional snail, frog, lizard, and bird's egg.

Conservation status

The Red-legged Thrush is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. This status reflects the bird's wide distribution and presumably large population, indicating that it does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size or population trend criteria.