A photo of a Malabar Whistling Thrush (Myophonus horsfieldii)
Malabar Whistling Thrush

Malabar Whistling Thrush

Myophonus horsfieldii

The Malabar whistling thrush (Myophonus horsfieldii) is a whistling thrush in the family Muscicapidae. The bird has been called whistling schoolboy for the whistling calls that they make at dawn that have a very human quality. The species is a resident in the Western Ghats and associated hills of peninsular India including central India and parts of the Eastern Ghats. It is a large thrush measuring about 25-30 cm and weighs about 101-130 g. The male has a blackish upper body with shiny metallic patches of blue on the forehead and shoulders, and glossy royal-blue scaling on back, scapulars and mid-breast to belly. The bill and legs are black. The female is very similar, but with weaker scaling below. Juveniles are black, with glossy blue shoulder patch and wing edgings. The blue becomes visible only in oblique lighting and is due to ultraviolet reflectance, a shared attribute with other whistling thrushes.
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Malabar Whistling Thrushes on Birda

Sightings

A map showing the sighting location
🦢
Arjun Cheyyur
Sunday 25 Dec 2022 - 10:21am
India
A map showing the sighting location
🦢
Arjun Cheyyur
Monday 26 Sep 2022 - 10:06am
India
A map showing the sighting location
🦢
Arjun Cheyyur
Wednesday 03 Aug 2022 - 8:25am
India
A map showing the sighting location
🦢
Arjun Cheyyur
Thursday 16 Jun 2022 - 8:31am
India
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