Zoothera mollissima
The Alpine Thrush, *Zoothera mollissima*, is a strikingly marked, medium-sized ground thrush measuring approximately 25-27 cm in length. Its plumage features dark olive-brown upperparts and head, with a heavily scaled breast that transitions to off-white or buff underparts, densely spotted with dark brown. A prominent, broad white supercilium contrasts sharply with dark lores and ear-coverts, forming a key field mark. The bill is dark, and its legs are a distinctive pinkish-yellow. This speci...
Found in high-altitude alpine meadows, open rocky slopes, scrubland above the treeline, and dwarf rhododendron forests, typically between 3,000 to 5,500 meters (10,000-18,000 ft) elevation.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on beetles, ants, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and other arthropods; also consumes earthworms and small quantities of berries and seeds. Forages by gleaning from the ground, turning over stones and leaves, and probing soft soil.
A rather shy and elusive bird, Alpine Thrushes are primarily diurnal, spending much of their time foraging on the ground. They employ a 'run and pause' technique, flipping leaf litter and probing the soil with their bill to uncover invertebrates. During the breeding season, males establish territ...
The Alpine Thrush (*Zoothera mollissima* sensu stricto) breeds across the eastern Tibetan Plateau and the high Himalayas. Its primary breeding range extends from central Nepal eastward through Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh (India), and southeastern Tibet (China), reaching into parts of Sichuan and Yu...
Least Concern
- The Alpine Thrush is a true high-altitude specialist, regularly found at elevations over 4,000 meters (13,000 ft), even breeding at such heights. - Its scientific name, *mollissima*, means "very soft," possibly referring to its plumage or its melancholic song. - For a long time, it was consider...