• The following pages have some identification markers for each of the Rock, Whistling & Zoothera Thrushes found in

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Sno. Name Binomial Name Rock 1 Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitaries 2 Blue-capped Rock Thrush Monticola cinclorhynchus 3 Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush Monticola rufiventris 4 Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis 1 Blue Whistling Thrush Myophonus caeruleus 2 Malabar Whistling Thrush Myophonus horsfieldii Zoothera Thrush 1 Dark-sided Thrush Zoothera marginata 2 Long-billed Thrush Zoothera Monticola 3 Long-tailed Thrush Zoothera dixoni 4 Zoothera neilgherriensis 5 Orange-headed Thrush Zoothera citrina 6 Zoothera wardii Plain-backed Thrush 7 Zoothera mollissima (Alpine thrush) 8 Zoothera dauma 9 Zoothera sibirica ©www.ogaclicks.com ROCK THRUSH Blue Rock Thrush identification Tips Blue Rock Thrush : Monticola solitaries : Breeds in ; Widespread winter visitor in India Pale Blue eyering Crown & head are Indigo blue

Dark lores

Bill is black Face area is Deep Blue

Upperparts are Deep Blue

Chin & Throat are blue Wing coverts are Deep Blue Crown & head are Blue-grey White eyering

Pale lores Black edged primaries Buff face are with streaks Blue breast

Buff Chin & Blue belly throat Blue-grey upperparts Male

Streaked buff & Brown on Blue tail, darker distally breast Blue -grey tail Blue flanks Buff & brown barred Underparts Legs are Blue-black

Female Buff & brown barred flanks Difference from Male Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Inskipp and Grimmett Important id point www.HBW.com Blue-capped Rock Thrush identification Tips Blue-capped Rock Thrush : Monticola cinclorhynchus : Summer Visitor to Himalayas; Winter visitor in Western Ghats India

Dark lore patch Crown & head are bright mid-blue

Bill is black Black Band covering cheek & ear-covert

Upperparts are black Chin & Throat are blue

Wing coverts are Blue Crown & head are Grey-Brown White eyering Rusty orange breast White wing patch Pale lores Blue-fringed wings Face area with streaks Rusty Orange back White Chin & Rusty Orange belly throat Grey- Brown upperparts Rusty Orange rump

Grey-Brown Legs are Blue-black Blue-tinged black tail Scales on whitish breast Rusty Oranges vent Male Barred whitish Underparts Grey-brown tail

Female White vent Difference from Male Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Inskipp and Grimmett Important id point www.HBW.com Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush identification Tips Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush : Monticola rufiventris : Resident of Himalayas & North East India

Dark lore patch Crown & head are Grey-Blue

Bill is black Black Band covering cheek & ear-covert

Chin & Throat are Blue-Black Upperparts are Grey-Blue

Wing coverts are Blue White eyering Crown & head are Grey-Brown Chestnut breast Blue-fringed wings Post-auricular patch White chin Grey- Brown upperparts White mesial stripe Chestnut belly Blue rump Male Scalloped slate-grey and buffy-white Blue tail underparts Chestnut vent

Grey-brown tail Legs are Blue-black

Female Difference from Male Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Inskipp and Grimmett Important id point www.HBW.com Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush identification Tips Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush : Monticola saxatilis: Passage migrant in Ladhak region in India Dark lore patch Crown & head are Grey-Blue

Bill is black Grey-blue face

Chin & Throat are Blue-Black Upperparts are Grey-Blue

White eyering Crown & head are Grey-Brown Wing coverts are Brownish-Grey tipped black Orange breast White patch on back

White chin Brownish-grey fringed wings Buffish spotting Orange belly & scaling on upperparts

Orange-buff Orange Vent with strong grey-brown Orange-red upper tail coverts & tail scaling

Male

Legs are Blue-black Female Difference from Male Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Inskipp and Grimmett Important id point www.HBW.com WHISTLING THRUSH Blue Whistling Thrush identification Tips - M. c. temminckii Blue Whistling Thrush : Myophonus caeruleus temminckii : Resident of Himalayas and North East India Brown iris Crown & head are Bluish-black with metallic violet-blue spots Black forehead band

Bill is yellow Ear coverts & cheeks are blue Chin is blue Blue shoulder patch

Throat has Bluish-black with Upperparts are Bluish-black with metallic violet-blue spots metallic violet-blue spots

Wing-coverts are deep dull blue with silver spots

Underparts are Bluish-black with metallic violet-blue spots

Primaries are deep dull blue

Blue flanks Tail is deep dull blue

Legs are black

Both sexes Similar Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Inskipp and Grimmett Important id point www.HBW.com Malabar Whistling Thrush identification Tips Malabar Whistling Thrush : Myophonus horsfieldii: Resident of hills of peninsular India. Brown iris Metallic ,bright royal-blue forehead-band Crown & head are matt black

Bill is black Matt black facial area Chin & throat are black Blue shoulder patch

Black breast with bluish tinge Upperparts are blue with glossy royal-blue scaling

Wing-coverts are deep dull blue

Underparts are blue with glossy royal-blue scaling

Primaries with royal-blue edges

Flanks are blue with glossy royal-blue scaling

Legs are black

Black underbelly & vent Tail is deep dull blue

Both sexes Similar Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Inskipp and Grimmett Important id point www.HBW.com ZOOTHERA THRUSH Dark-sided Thrush identification Tips Dark-sided Thrush : Zoothera marginata : Resident of Himalayas & North East India. Buffy white lores Brown iris Crown & head are dark brown Bill is blackish, pale lower mandible

Blackish-flecked whitish facial area Chin & throat are white

Upperparts are rufous brown White breast with dense small grayish brown scalloping Wing-coverts are rufous brown

Underparts are whitish with dense small grayish brown scalloping Rufous brown wings

Tail is rufous-brown

Flanks are duskier with dense large grayish brown scalloping

Legs are Pinkish

Whitish underbelly dense larger grayish brown scalloping Both sexes Similar Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Inskipp and Grimmett Important id point www.HBW.com Long-billed Thrush identification Tips Long-billed Thrush : Zoothera Monticola : Resident of Himalayas & North East India. Buffy white lores Brown iris Crown & head are flecked dull buff Bill is very long and partly hooked, dark Flecked dull buff facial area

Chin & throat are white

Dark malar stripe Upperparts are dark olive-brown narrow blackish scalloping

Breast with dark brown markings

Underparts are whitish with grey-brown flecks Wing-coverts are brown

Brown wings

Tail is rufous-brown

Flanks are buff with grey-brown flecks

Whitish vent with grey-brown flecks

Legs areflesh-coloured Whitish underbelly with grey-brown flecks Both sexes Similar Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Inskipp and Grimmett Important id point www.HBW.com Long-tailed Thrush identification Tips Long-tailed Thrush : Zoothera dixoni : Resident of Himalayas & North East India. Buffy white lores White eyering

Crown & head are warm olive-brown Bill is very long and partly hooked, dark

Dark malar stripe Buffy face marked with dark spots Chin & throat are white

Upperparts are warm olive-brown Breast with dense black crescents Two buff-spotted Wing-coverts Whitish underparts with large black crescents

Brown wings

Tail is warm olive-brown Whitish underbelly with large black crescents

Whitish vent Legs are flesh-coloured

Both sexes Similar Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Inskipp and Grimmett Important id point www.HBW.com Nilgiri Thrush identification Tips Nilgiri Thrush : Zoothera neilgherriensis : Resident of Western Ghats in India.

White eyering Crown & head are flecked dull buff Buffy white lores

Bill is very dark, long and partly hooked, Flecked dull buff facial area pale lower mandible Chin & throat are white

Dark malar stripe

Breast with dark brown markings Upperparts are golden-olive with black scaling

Wing-coverts with yellowish Underparts are Whitish tips forming wing bars with large black crescent Blackish fringes to primaries

Tail is golden-olive

Whitish underbelly with large black crescent

Whitish vent

Blackish tips to primary-coverts

Legs are flesh-coloured

Both sexes Similar Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Inskipp and Grimmett Important id point www.HBW.com Orange-headed Thrush identification Tips Orange-headed Thrush : Zoothera citrina : Resident of Himalayas eastwards to North East India

Dark lore patch Crown & head are dull pale orange

Bill is blackish, paler base Dull pale orange face Dull matt and glossy greenish-brown upperparts Chin & Throat are Upperparts are glossy grey dull pale orange White median wing-coverts

Wing coverts are glossy grey Dull pale orange breast Whitish-grey fringed wings Female Brown wings Dull pale orange underparts Male

G.c.cyanotus- Resident of Central & South India Whitish Vent

Broad auricular stripe

Orange malar stripe Broad olive-brown Legs are dull flesh vertical subocular stripe White chin & throat Difference from Male Male Difference from Nominate Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent Inskipp and Grimmett ©www.ogaclicks.com Important id point www.HBW.com Pied Thrush identification Tips Pied Thrush : Monticola wardii : Breeds in Himalayas ; winter visitor in South India

White lore patch Crown & head are black

Bill is yellow Supercilium White Male Black face

Chin & Throat are black Upperparts are black Wing coverts are black tipped white

Crown & head are Olive-Brown Black breast White fringed wings Breast sides whitish Greyish olive-brown with black chevrons on upperparts Black tail

White chin & throat Greyish olive-brown White underparts on wing coverts Brownish- White Vent olive malar Greyish olive-brown wings White flanks with black chevrons Whitish and brown Legs are yellow spotting and scaling olive-brown wash breast Greyish olive-brown tails

Whitish and brown spotting and scaling underparts Female Difference from Male Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Inskipp and Grimmett Important id point www.HBW.com Plain-backed Thrush (Alpine thrush) identification Tips Plain-backed Thrush (Alpine thrush) : Zoothera neilgherriensis : Resident of Himalayas & North East India. White eyering Buffy white lores Crown & head are Brown

Bill is bill dark, paler mandible Buff facial area with black marks Dark malar stripe

Chin & throat are white Upperparts are Olive-Brown Breast buffish with black crescent

Wing-coverts are Olive brown with black tips Underparts are Whitish with large black crescent Brown fringed primaries

Tail is Olive-Brown Whitish underbelly with large black crescent

Whitish vent Legs are flesh-coloured

Both sexes Similar Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Inskipp and Grimmett Important id point www.HBW.com Scaly Thrush identification Tips Scaly Thrush : Zoothera dauma : Winter Visitor Hills of Manipur & Andaman Islands in India. White eyering Buffy white lores Crown & head are golden-olive with black scales

Bill is large, blackish, paler mandible Blackish auricular mark

Dark malar stripe Buff facial area with black marks

Upperparts are golden-olive with black scales Chin & throat are white with specks

Breast whitish with black Wing coverts with yellowish to crescent whitish tips forming wingbars

Blackish tips to primary-coverts Underparts are Whitish with large black crescent Yellowish edgings to primaries

Tail is Olive-Brown Whitish underbelly with large black crescent

Whitish vent Legs are flesh-coloured

Both sexes Similar Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Inskipp and Grimmett Important id point www.HBW.com Siberian Thrush identification Tips Siberian Thrush : Monticola sibirica : Winter Visitor Hills of Manipur & Andaman Islands in India Dark lore patch Crown & head are bluish-slaty

Bill is black Supercilium White

Bluish-slaty face

Chin & Throat are bluish-slaty Upperparts are bluish-slaty

Wing-coverts are bluish-slaty Crown & head are mid-brown Bluish-slaty breast Bluish-slaty fringed wings Buff-and-brown face Paler underparts

Brownish-olive malar Olive-tinged mid-brown on upperparts Bluish-slaty tail

Buffy-tipped on wing coverts White belly White chin & throat Legs are yellow White Vent

Mid-brown wings Male

Whitish and Brown Greyish olive-brown tails spotting and scaling on underparts Female

Difference from Male Reference : Birds of Indian Subcontinent ©www.ogaclicks.com Inskipp and Grimmett Important id point www.HBW.com