Turdus mupinensis
The Chinese Thrush (*Turdus mupinensis*) is a striking medium-sized passerine, instantly recognizable by its distinct head pattern featuring a broad white supercilium and a prominent black moustachial stripe contrasting with a pale throat. Measuring approximately 22-24 cm in length and weighing 60-80 grams, it exhibits olive-brown upperparts, a rufous wash on the flanks, and heavily spotted white underparts. This member of the *Turdus* genus, part of the widespread Turdidae family, is closely...
This thrush primarily inhabits subalpine coniferous and mixed forests, often favoring areas with dense undergrowth and bamboo thickets, typically at elevations between 1,000 and 3,000 meters. During winter, it descends to lower elevation broadleaf evergreen forests.
Its diet primarily consists of invertebrates such as earthworms, insects, and their larvae, supplemented seasonally with various berries and small fruits, often foraged from the forest floor or low shrubs.
Primarily a diurnal species, the Chinese Thrush forages on the forest floor, often meticulously flicking leaf litter aside with its bill in search of invertebrates. It typically roosts solitarily or in small family groups among dense vegetation. Males establish and defend breeding territories thr...
The Chinese Thrush is endemic to China, with its primary breeding range spanning central, southwestern, and southeastern provinces, including Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Gansu, and Shaanxi. During the breeding season, it inhabits subalpine coniferous and mixed forests at elevations ty...
Least Concern
- The Chinese Thrush was first described to Western science in 1887 by Emile Oustalet, based on specimens collected by the French missionary and naturalist Père Armand David from Muping (now Baoxing County) in Sichuan, China. - Its scientific name, *mupinensis*, directly references the Muping reg...