| Whistling-thrushes | |
|---|---|
| Formosan Whistling-thrush Myophonus insularis |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Subkingdom: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Turdidae |
| Genus: | Myophonus Temminck, 1822 |
| Species | |
|
See text. |
|
The whistling-thrushes comprise a genus Myophonus (Myiophoneus[1]) of the thrush family Turdidae.
They are all medium-sized mostly insectivorous or omnivorous birds. They are all brightly coloured species found in India and southeast Asia. The male is usually blue, and the females are either similar to the male or brown.
The brighter blue patches found on the shoulders and sometimes the head, of whistling thrushes, uniquely for a passerine, reflect strongly in the ultraviolet.[2]
Many of the species are confined to single islands or countries.
Species:
Javan, Bornean and Chestnut-winged were formerly lumped as Sunda Whistling-thrush, but split by Collar (2004).
Whistling Thrushes are mostly seen in hilly areas except during winter when they may descend to streams near the plains. They specialize in feeding on snails and their strong hooked bills are used to deal with them. They may choose a particular rock on which they crack the shells.[3]
The nests are usually in crevices of rocks and boulders close to water. The cup nests have moss and twigs and is lined with roots and leaves. The eggs are usually three and sometimes four, elongate with a gray ground colour and marked with speckles.[3]