Catharus gracilirostris
The Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush (Catharus gracilirostris) is an enchanting avian jewel of Central American highlands, celebrated for its hauntingly beautiful, flute-like song. This slender thrush typically measures 14-16 cm (5.5-6.3 inches) in length and weighs between 18-28 grams (0.6-1.0 ounces). Its plumage is characterized by a dark olive-brown back, crown, and wings, transitioning to a dusky gray throat and breast that lightens to a whitish belly. A striking, entirely black and slend...
This species primarily inhabits montane evergreen and cloud forests, ranging from humid to semi-humid conditions. It is typically found at elevations between 1,200 to 3,000 meters (3,900-9,800 feet), favoring dense undergrowth within these forested ecosystems.
The diet of the Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates, which it gleans from foliage and forages for in leaf litter. It also supplements its diet with small fruits and berries, especially outside the breeding season.
Black-billed Nightingale-Thrushes are generally shy and secretive birds, often detected more by their song than by sight, foraging primarily in the early morning and late afternoon. They typically forage by gleaning insects from foliage and probing the leaf litter on the forest floor, moving deli...
The Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush has a disjunct breeding and resident range extending through the highlands of Central America. It is found from southern Mexico (primarily Chiapas) southeast through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and western Panama. Its distribution i...
Least Concern
- The Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush's scientific name, *gracilirostris*, directly translates to "slender-billed," a defining characteristic. - Its song is often compared to the iconic American Robin's, but with a more ethereal, flute-like quality, delivered with a melancholy cadence. - This spe...