The dusky thrush (Turdus eunomus) is a member of the thrush family which breeds eastwards from central SiberiatoKamchatka wintering to Japan, South China and Myanmar. It is closely related to the more southerly breeding Naumann's thrushT. naumanni; the two have often been regarded as conspecific. The scientific name comes from LatinTurdus, "thrush" and Ancient Greekeunomos, "orderly".[2]
This species breeds in open woodland areas, but unlike Naumann's thrush, the dusky thrush is more tolerant of mountainous and tundra-edge habitats. This species is strongly migratory, wintering south to southeast Asia, principally in China and neighbouring countries. It is a rare vagrant to western Europe.[1] In December 2016 a sighting of one in the Derbyshire in the United Kingdom brought hundreds of birdwatchers to see it.[3][4]
It nests in trees, laying 3-5 eggs in an untidy but neatly lined nest. Migrating birds and wintering birds often form small flocks. It is omnivorous, eating a wide range of insects, especially mosquitoes, earthworms and berries.
This is a medium-sized but stocky thrush, reminiscent in structure of a small fieldfare. The underwing is reddish brown, and there is a pale supercilium.
Dusky thrush has a dark brown back and rump; the face, breast, and flank spots rump are black and the belly and undertail are white. Naumann's thrush in comparison has a paler brown back and head; the face, breast, flank spots and rump are reddish, and the belly and undertail are white.
The female is fairly similar to the male, but immatures have a weaker patterning.
The male dusky thrush has a simple fluted or whistling song, similar to the redwing. There are suggestions that the songs of dusky and Naumann's thrush differ.
