Turdus plebejus
The Mountain Thrush, *Turdus plebejus*, is a medium-sized songbird, typically measuring 23-28 cm (9-11 inches) in length and weighing between 70 and 120 grams. Its plumage is uniformly dull olive-brown to dark brown dorsally, fading to a paler, often grayish-brown, belly which may exhibit faint streaking in some individuals or subspecies, giving it a somewhat unassuming appearance. Key field marks include its dark bill, dark legs, and sometimes a faint, broken pale eye-ring which can aid iden...
Exclusively inhabits humid montane evergreen forests, cloud forests, and humid oak-pine forests, primarily at elevations between 1,200 and 3,000 meters, sometimes descending to lower altitudes during non-breeding seasons.
Feeds primarily on a diverse array of invertebrates such as earthworms, insects, and their larvae, supplemented extensively by fruits and berries, foraging mainly by gleaning on the forest floor or plucking from shrubs and trees.
Mountain Thrushes are diurnal birds, often observed foraging actively during the day, and typically roost communally in dense vegetation. They employ a foraging strategy that involves ground gleaning for invertebrates, coupled with significant arboreal foraging for fruits and berries. While breed...
The Mountain Thrush has a continuous but disjunct distribution across the highlands of Central America, extending from southern Mexico (Chiapas) southward through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and into western Panama. Its breeding range is largely restricted to high-ele...
Least Concern
- The scientific name 'plebejus' translates to 'common' or 'of the common people,' ironically referring to its relatively plain appearance despite its beautiful, complex song. - Unlike many migratory birds, the Mountain Thrush undertakes altitudinal migration, moving up and down mountain slopes r...