Bird Guide

Austral Thrush vs Rufous-bellied Thrush

Austral Thrush (Turdus falcklandii)

Austral Thrush

Turdus falcklandii

Medium94 gForest

The austral thrush is 23 to 26.5 cm (9.1 to 10 in) long and weighs 95 to 113 g (3.4 to 4.0 oz). The sexes have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have a mostly blackish brown head with a thin orange-yellow eye-ring and a buffy and blackish stippled chin and throat. Their upperparts, wings, and tail are warm brownish olive and their underparts ochre. Both sexes have a dark iris and an orange-yellow bill, legs, and feet. Juveniles have the same warm brownish olive upperparts as adults but with heavy buff streaks. Their underparts are buff-yellow with dark brown spots. Voice: Only male austral thrushes are known to sing. Individuals have a large repertoire consisting of "phrases of whistled and screeching syllables produced at a regular tempo". Older individuals tend to have more songs. The austral thrush is also an accomplished mimic and is known to imitate the songs of at least 12 species including songbirds and raptors.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Erick Stromback · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Brooke Smith · CC BY 4.0
Rufous-bellied Thrush (Turdus rufiventris)

Rufous-bellied Thrush

Turdus rufiventris

Medium69 gForest

This species is named after its distinctive reddish-orange underparts. Rufous-bellied thrushes can reach a length of 25 cm and weigh up to 68 g (male) or 78 g (female), though weights of about 59 g for males and 64 g for females are more usual. Contrary to what one might expect from the rather marked weight difference, the females are not larger, only plumper; their tarsus is actually a bit shorter than that of males on average.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Gabriele Magurno · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: (c) Nigel Voaden, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Austral Thrush and Rufous-bellied Thrush.