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Geokichla
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- Slaty-backed Thrush
© Charles Davies
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Slaty-backed Thrush Geokichla schistacea Scientific name definitions

Nigel Collar
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated January 1, 2005

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Field Identification

16–17 cm. Boldly but complexly marked black, white and grey thrush. Male has black forecrown merging to dark grey on nape, mantle, scapulars and back, also flight-feathers, with broad double white wingbar on black wing patch; long white supercilium and white cheek patch separated by black eyeline continuous with black chin to lower breast; white belly to undertail, with bold black spots on upper belly and greyish flanks; bill black; legs flesh-pink to yellowish. Female is similar, but less black on crown and fewer spots below. Juvenile undescribed.

Systematics History

Monotypic.

Subspecies

Monotypic.

Distribution

Tanimbar Is (Larat, Yamdena).

Habitat

Undergrowth and subcanopy of lowland forest.

Movement

Sedentary.

Diet and Foraging

Forages mainly on forest floor. Sometimes seen in small groups.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Song a series of phrases with variable intervals, each phrase an exquisite melody of 8 clear, sweet whistled notes (duration 3·4 seconds), first note drawn out and upslurred, then 6 short notes that alternate up and down scale, and a concluding long, upslurred high-pitched whistle. Calls include thin high “tsee” of variable length, apparently in alarm.

Breeding

No information.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife NT Near Threatened
Not globally threatened. Currently considered Near-threatened. Restricted-range species: present in Banda Sea Islands EBA. Generally common. Significant logging activity in S Yamdena must be reducing habitat within its very small range.
Distribution of the Slaty-backed Thrush - Range Map
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  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Slaty-backed Thrush

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Collar, N. (2020). Slaty-backed Thrush (Geokichla schistacea), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.slbthr1.01
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