BIRD SPECIES

Bassian Thrush

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Zoothera lunulate

The Bassian Thrush, also known as the Olive-tailed Thrush is a medium-sized thrush with mottled brown to olive-brown plumage.

Both sexes are about 10.63 - 11.42 inches long and weigh about 90 - 120 grams.

Upperparts are brown to olive-brown, heavily scalloped with black bars crescent-shaped, on head, back and rump. Tail is dark brown tinged olive, and has 12 feathers. Underparts are whitish, slightly washed yellowish-buff on breast, sides of lower breast and flanks.

Throat, breast, flanks and belly are scalloped with dark brown. Lower belly and vent are whitish. White underwing shows a broad dark diagonal bar.

Head has olive-brown forehead, crown and nape, scalloped with dark crescents. Face is paler, slightly spotted with dark. Chin is whitish. Bill is blackish with yellow base on lower mandible.

Eyes are dark brown, with whitish eye-ring. Legs and feet are pale pinkish-brown.

Both sexes are similar.

Juveniles resemble adults, but with smaller dark crescents on upperparts, and pale- tipped tail feathers. Underparts have spots than crescents on breast and belly.

CALL: Utters contact call “seep” in flight or when takes off. Alarm call is a sharp “chi-lit”, and some continuous deep trills.

SONG: Weak, with warbling and trills carrying a short distance. It also gives fluted two-notes whistle, sometimes continuing as melodious warble. It utters also very soft “hiss” note during the day. Sings mainly at dusk, during the night and at dawn.

Feeds on invertebrates and worms in fallen leaves and decaying vegetation.

Lives in damp, dense forests, humid tropical rainforests and eucalyptus woodlands with underbrush.

During non-breeding season, they may live in open drier areas, secondary forests and large gardens.

Found mainly around the South-east of Australia, also in the Atherton Tablelands, and in Queensland.

Nest is a large bowl-shaped structure, made with bark strips, twigs, stems, grasses and leaves. It is lined with moss, fine grass and rootlets, and may also be covered with moss.

The female lays 2 - 3 pale eggs, green or bluish-green, with fine markings. Incubation lasts about 14 days.

SOURCES:
http://www.oiseaux-birds.com
https://en.wikipedia.org