Black Thrush

The black thrush is 22 to 23 cm (8.7 to 9.1 in) long and weighs about 60 to 90 g (2.1 to 3.2 oz). The species is sexually dimorphic. Adult males are almost entirely black with a slightly duller and more slaty belly and undertail coverts. They have a bright yellow ring of bare skin around the eye. Adult females have an olive brown head with dusky brown streaks on the cheeks and a dark brown eye ring. Their upperparts, tail, and upper surface of the wings are olive brown. Their chin and throat are whitish with dusky brown streaks on the latter. Voice: Black thrush males sing only in the breeding season. The species is "an accomplished singer with a rich vocal repertoire that includes mimicry of other cloud forest species". Its vocalizations have been compared to those of some mockingbirds. One description of the song is "a long, varied series of well-spaced, sweet clear whistled phrases: chaao-sit!-peer!-tleeet-pip'pip-peeeer!-seeet!-weeeer!