Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush
Catharus mexicanus
The Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush (Catharus mexicanus) is a rare thrush found in 7 countries, weighing about 33 g. The black-headed nightingale-thrush is a species of bird in the family Turdidae, the thrushes and allies.
About the Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush
The black-headed nightingale-thrush is a species of bird in the family Turdidae, the thrushes and allies. It is found in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama. It has also been recorded as a vagrant in the U. S. state of Texas.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The black-headed nightingale-thrush is 15 to 16.5 cm (5.9 to 6.5 in) long and weighs about 30 g (1.1 oz). Adult males of the nominate subspecies C. m. mexicanus have a black crown and a dark gray face with a bright orange eye-ring. Their upperparts are olive-brown. Their throat is white with faint dark streaks, their breast and flanks pale grayish brown, and their belly and vent white. Adult females are similar to males but have a browner head and breast. Subspecies C. m. cantator is slightly smaller than the nominate with a much grayer face and throat and an olive wash on the breast. C. m. Voice: The black-headed nightingale-thrush sings mostly at dawn, dusk, and in the afternoon. Its song is "a series of rapid, thin, flute-like but slightly tinny, fuzzy phrases...e.g. dleet-dloo-dlee-dlee". Its calls include a "harsh complaining upslurred mew, rreahr, meahh or dzeeeet", a "hard dry rattle or trill when agitated", a "soft blurred pseeer", a "slow plaintive chowrr", "grrr", and "meww".
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in United States.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, October, November, December, with peak activity in March. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush?
- The black-headed nightingale-thrush is 15 to 16.5 cm (5.9 to 6.5 in) long and weighs about 30 g (1.1 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush?
- The Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush is a small sized bird weighing about 33 g.
- Where can you see a Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush?
- The Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush occurs in 7 countries, including Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Honduras.
- What birds look similar to a Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush?
- The Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush is most easily confused with the Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush, the Bicknell's Thrush and the Yellow-throated Nightingale-Thrush.
- Is the Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush endangered?
- The Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush for real
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