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| Scaly thrush | |
|---|---|
 | |
| FromEast Java,Indonesia. | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Turdidae |
| Genus: | Zoothera |
| Species: | Z. dauma |
| Binomial name | |
| Zoothera dauma (Latham, 1790) | |
| Synonyms | |
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Thescaly thrush (Zoothera dauma) is a member of thethrush family Turdidae.
It breeds in wetconiferoustaiga, mainly in theHimalayas throughMalaysia.
The sexes are similar, 27–31 cm long, with black scaling on a paler white or yellowish background. The most striking identification feature in flight is the black band on the white underwings, a feature shared withSiberian thrush. The male has a song which is a loud, far-carrying mechanical whistle, with 5-10 second pauses between each one second long phrasetwee...tuuu....tuuu....tuuu.
There are several races which are now often split into a varying number of separate species.Z. aurea (White's thrush), including the questionable subspeciesZ. a. toratugumi, is the migratory Siberian and north-east Asian form.Z. neilgherriensis (Nilgiri thrush) is resident in the hills of southwestIndia.Z. imbricata (Sri Lanka thrush) is endemic to the hills ofSri Lanka and is particularly distinctive, being smaller, long-billed andrufous below.Z. d. dauma (scaly thrush) breeds in theHimalaya and migrates to the foothills in winter.Z. d. horsfieldi (Horsfield's thrush) is resident inIndonesia on the islands ofSumatra,Java,Bali,Lombok andSumbawa.Z. major (Amami thrush) is restricted to theAmami Islands inJapan and is now considered a distinct species.
The taxonomy of this group is still in flux. Some of these subspecies are very similar and the identity of some populations, such as those onTaiwan, is uncertain.
Thefawn-breasted thrush (Z. machiki) of Indonesia and theBassian thrush (Z. lunulata) andrusset-tailed thrush (Z. heinei) ofAustralia were also included inZ. dauma in the past.
The scaly thrush is very secretive, preferring dense cover. It nests in trees, laying three or four dull greeneggs in a neatcup nest. It is omnivorous, eating a wide range ofinsects,earthworms and berries.
