Long-billed Thrush Zoothera monticola Scientific name definitions

26–28 cm; 115–131 g. A stout, massive-billed thrush. Nominate race is dark olive-brown  with indistinct narrow blackish scalloping above , brown wings; crown and side of head flecked dull buff, with dark malar, whitish-buff chin and throat  ; dull grey-brown on breast and flanks, dark brown markings (and some whitish feathers) on breast , becoming sparser on dull buff background on upper flanks and belly side, with whitish belly to vent with grey-brown flecks and feathers; bill very long and partly hooked, dark; legs flesh-­coloured. Sexes similar. Immature is darker with orangey shaft streaks above, spotted wingbars, more strongly spotted below. Race atrata is darker above and below than nominate.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Breeds in undisturbed undergrowth of damp, shady forests of fir, bamboo and rhododendron, also broadleaf evergreen forest; requires places with moist earth, muddy sites, soft banks or thick layers of moss, thus especially along streams. At 2200–3800 m in Himalayas, wintering at 1000–2500; 900–2135 m in SE Asia.

Generally sedentary, but with altitudinal movements in winter; some short local migration, but details unclear. Apparently non-breeding visitor in Bangladesh.

Invertebrates; earthworm in one stomach. Forages amid damp leaf litter and open muddy patches of ground, searching for invertebrates by gouging and trowelling the substrate with its outsize bill, often flicking wings.

Song  , produced only for short period (mostly less than 10 minutes) at dusk and dawn, a series of very rich, sweet, slow, wistful phrases, each of 3–6 downslurred whistles, e.g. “tsuweet-tsew-tsuw”, last note lower and softest; also delivered with a single level or slightly trilled notes and occasional rasps, “weech-a-wee-wuu rrraee, ti, tuu preeyert, preeer trrray tya tyee”. Alarm is a loud “zaaaaa”.

May–Jul. Nest a bulky cup of vegetation, lined with fine fibres, placed 2–7 m up in tree fork or on branch. Eggs 3–4, pale green to grey-green or pale cream to warm buff, with reddish-brown speckles. No other information.

Not globally threatened. Previously considered Near-threatened. Still considered to be rare and local, even in most suitable habitat, in Nepal. Scarce in Myanmar and Vietnam.