TURDIDAE of Australasia

Thrushes are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized birds, inhabiting wooded areas, and often feed on the ground or eat small fruit. Most species are gray or brown in color, often with speckled underparts. Even if the adults do not have these speckles, the juveniles often will. They are insectivorous, but most species also eat worms, snails, and fruit. Thrushes build cup-shaped nests, sometimes lining them with mud. They lay two to five speckled eggs, sometimes laying two or more clutches per year. Both parents help in raising the young. The songs of some species are considered to be among the most beautiful in the avian world.
[abstracted from Wikipedia]



The True Thrushes

Order Passeriformes    Family Turdidae

Many of the "true thrushes" have songs that are very pleasing to humans. A good example is the common blackbird that is occurs naturally in Europe, Asia, Africa and has been intrioduced into Australia and New Zealand. Another popular true thrush is the American Robin, which is unrelated to the European Robin which is not even a thrush. The true thrushes are medium sized brids.

Genus Turdus

Blackbird aka Common Blackbird  Turdus merula   Found: Europe, Asia, Africa. Introduced: Australiasia
Blackbirds are related to song thrushes (Turdus philomelos) and also have a wonderful song.
Photographed by: 1) DIck Daniels - England   2) Dick - New Zealand   3, 4) Dick - England
1) Female  2) Juvenile  3, 4) Male   4) Demonstrates partial albinism which is not uncommon.


Blackbird, White-collared Turdus albocinctus  Found: Asia
Photographed by: 1, 3) Dick Daniels - Nepal  2) Dick - Nepal  4) J M Garg


Fieldfare  Turdus pilaris Found: North America (rare), northern Europe and Asia
Photographed by: 1) Martin Olsson - Sweden  2) Yuqi Qiao - Sweden  3) Charlie Westerinen - Cochem. Germany


Redwing  Turdus iliacus  Found: Europe, Asia
Photographed by: 1) Bruce McAdam - Iceland  2) Andreas Trepte  3) MPF - Northumberland, UK


Thrush, Black-breasted Turdus dissimilis  Found: Asia
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3) JJ Harrison - Chiang Mai, Thailand 
1, 2) Male  3) Female


Thrush, Brown-headed  Turdus chrysolaus  Found: Asia
Photographed by: 1) ISAKA_Yoji  2) K C Hung   3) Hiyashi Haka


Thrush, Eyebrowed  Turdus obscurus  Found: Asia
Photographed by: 1) Robert tdc  2) Hiyashi Haka


Thrush, Gray-backed  Turdus hortulorum  Found: Asia
Photographed by: 1) Alnus  2, 3, 4) Hiyashi Haka


Thrush, Island  Turdus poliocephalus  Found: Asia
Photographed by: 1, 3) Hiyashi Haka    2) Mark Sharper - Papua New Guinea  4) Ainus - Taiwan
1, 2) Male  3, 4) Female


Thrush, Japanese  Turdus cardis  Found: Asia
Photographed by: 1, 2) Hiyashi Haka  3, 4) Alnus at Yehliu, Taipei County, Taiwan  5) M. Nishimura



Thrush, Mistle  Turdus viscivorus   Found: Europe, Asia
Photographed by:  1) Drawing by Wilhelm von Wright  2) Crusier - Karpacz, Poland 
    3) Dick Daniels - the North Carolina Zoo  4) Dick - the North Carolina Zoo
3, 4) Identified by Rusty Blades


Thrush, Naumann's  Turdus naumanni  naumanniFound: Asia
The Naumann's_Thrush is closely related to the Dusky Thrush (Turdus eunomus), and sometimes consider to be a subspecies.
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3) Hiyashi Haka


Thrush, Pale  Turdus palliduss  Found: Asia
Photographed by: 1) Francesco Veronesi  - Dasyueshan - Taiwan  2, 3) Hiyashi Haka


Thrush, Song Turdus philomelos   Found: Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia (introduced)
Photographed by:  1, 2, 3) DIck Daniels - Scotland






All photos on this site are available for general use. Please credit the photographer. Some images have additional constraints such as no commercial use or no modifications. Click the photo credit link for details.    Dick Daniels, webmaster.