PROTECTION / THREATS / STATUS:
The Sri Lanka Thrush is affected by degradation and fragmentation of its restricted range, caused by clearance of forests, logging and agriculture expansion.
The size of the population is unknown, but the species is described as rare to uncommon, although being widespread.
The Sri Lanka Thrush is currently listed as Near Threatened.
Fr: Grive de Ceylan
Ang: Sri Lanka Thrush
All: Ceylonerddrossel
Esp: Zorzal de Sri Lanka
Nd: Ceylongoudlijster
Sd: ceylontrast
Photographers:
Steve Garvie
RAINBIRDER Photo galleries
Philip Stapelberg
GALLERY
Illustrator:
John Gerrard Keulemans (1842–1912)
Illustration’s origin: A History of the Birds of Ceylon. Volume 1
Text by Nicole Bouglouan
Sources:
HANDBOOK OF THE BIRDS OF THE WORLD Vol 10 by Josep del Hoyo-Andrew Elliott-David Christie - Lynx Edicions - ISBN: 8487334725
THRUSHES by Peter Clement and Ren Hathway – HELM - ISBN: 0713639407
Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
Sri Lanka Thrush
Zoothera imbricata
Passeriformes Order – Turdidae Family
INTRODUCTION:
The Sri Lanka Thrush is a terrestrial Turdidae endemic to Sri Lanka where it frequents the undergrowth of the wet forests, from lowlands to mountains.
It feeds on various invertebrates and insects, worms and berries. It forages on the ground, among the leaf litter.
This species builds a cup-shaped nest in low fork in small tree. It resembles a mass of jungle debris with a fairly neat cup in the centre and mossy rims. Both adults share the nesting duties.
The Sri Lanka Thrush was formerly a subspecies of Zoothera dauma, but the taxonomy is complex and unresolved. It is here treated as a full species.
Like other Sri Lanka species, the Sri Lanka Thrush is threatened by fragmentation of its restricted range. The species is currently listed as Near Threatened.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BIRD:
Biometrics:
Length: 23-24 cm
Weight: 89-90 g
The Sri Lanka Thrush has olive-brown upperparts with conspicuous black scaly pattern. The blackish-brown feather tips extend across rump and uppertail-coverts. The tail is fairly short with paler brown outer rectrices. The outer webs of the outermost two are buffish-white.
On the upperwing, the dark tips of the greater coverts contrast with the paler tips of the median coverts. The flight-feathers have dark tips.
The underparts are light rufous-buff, but centre of chin to belly are whitish-buff. The blackish feather tips form narrow dark bars or crescents and scaly pattern.
On the pale buff head, the dark scaly pattern is finer than on body, although the crown may appear slightly darker.
The long bill is black with horn-coloured base of lower mandible.
The eyes are dark brown, surrounded by pale buff eyering.
Legs and feet are dusky pink to flesh.
Both short tail and long bill are adapted to ground-foraging in thick forest, and the scaly-patterned plumage allows the bird to hide among the dead leaves and the dense undergrowth. This is a peculiar feature of the thrushes of genus Zoothera in the large family Turdidae.
Male and female are similar.
The juvenile resembles adult but the colours of the scaly pattern are more contrasted.
The shorter bill is mostly yellowish with dark base.
RANGE:
The Sri Lanka Thrush is endemic to SW of Sri Lanka where it occurs mainly in the hills.
HABITAT:
The Sri Lanka Thrush can be seen in damp, evergreen forest from lowland to 1,500/2,000 metres of elevation, but more often below 1,500 metres.
It also frequents secondary scrub, plantations and gardens near the forest edge. The species is scarce in the dry zone where it may occur locally in riverine forest.
CALLS AND SONGS: SOUNDS BY XENO-CANTO
The Sri Lanka Thrush is mainly vocal at dawn and dusk.
The song has recently been described as a series of clear, whistled notes repeated 6-8 times “cheeew-chew-lew”. Each note descends smoothly and lasts about one second. This song is clearly audible at some distance and only given just before dawn. It is repeated 4-5 times and stops at the first light.
A second song consists of a series of short, soft thin whistled notes during about 30 seconds, followed by short pause before repeating this sound.
The bird sings before and after the main breeding period, from mid-July to early October.
The call includes high-pitched, short, sharp, barely audible “tsit” notes. It is also given when the bird is alarmed.
BEHAVIOUR IN THE WILD:
The Sri Lanka Thrush is terrestrial. It feeds mostly on the ground by turning over the dead leaves. It often forages in both morning and evening along jungle trails, walking and running while scratching about among wet debris and plant materials.
It feeds on insects and their larvae, beetles, invertebrates, grasshoppers, earthworms, slugs, leeches and snails. It also feeds on berries, and takes occasionally some fruit.
The Sri Lanka Thrush is usually seen alone or in pairs. It is a shy, retiring species, usually concealed or camouflaged in the depths of the well-wooded areas.
The territory is occupied all year round and the birds are monogamous. The male advertises and maintain the territory by singing. While the male defends the area, the female builds the nest, a cup-shaped mossy structure placed in fork in small tree. Both adults feed the chicks.
The Sri Lanka Thrush is resident on the island, and only performs some vertical movements.
The flight is rapid, silent and usually low. The bird makes a short upward glide before landing on a perch.
REPRODUCTION OF THIS SPECIES:
The Sri Lanka Thrush has two breeding periods, the first one in February-May, with peak in March-April, and the second one in July-October/November.
The female builds the nest in a low, exposed fork of small tree, between 4 and 6 metres above the ground. The nest is a mossy cup-shaped structure, similar to a mass of vegetal debris. It is made of dead and decaying leaves, stems and roots mixed with large quantities of moss when available. The cup is lined inside with softer materials, fine rootlets and leaf midribs. The rim is usually finished with moss.
The female lays two bluish-white or pale grey-green eggs with pale reddish-brown fine markings. She incubates alone, and the incubation usually lasts 11-15 days in the family Turdidae, depending on the species. Both parents feed the chicks.
No more information.
John Gerrard Keulemans
(1842–1912)