Karoo Thrush
Turdus smithi
The Karoo Thrush (Turdus smithi) is a uncommon thrush found in 4 countries, weighing about 78 g. The Karoo thrush, also known as Smith's thrush, is a member of the thrush family in Africa.
About the Karoo Thrush
The Karoo thrush, also known as Smith's thrush, is a member of the thrush family in Africa. It has traditionally been considered a subspecies of the olive thrush, but is increasingly treated as a separate species. The specific name honours the Scottish military surgeon and zoologist Sir Andrew Smith.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
This medium-sized bird has a length of about 24 cm. It has a wing length between 117 and 131 mm, a culmen length between 20 and 24 mm and a tarsus length between 30.0 and 34.5 mm. It can reach a mass of at least 86 g. It differs from the olive thrush by its longer, entirely yellow bill, its longer wings, and its greyer flanks.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Karoo Thrush can be seen all year round, with peak activity in October. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Karoo Thrush?
- This medium-sized bird has a length of about 24 cm. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Karoo Thrush?
- The Karoo Thrush is a medium sized bird weighing about 78 g.
- Where can you see a Karoo Thrush?
- The Karoo Thrush occurs in 4 countries, including South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Lesotho.
- What birds look similar to a Karoo Thrush?
- The Karoo Thrush is most easily confused with the Kurrichane Thrush, the Western Red-legged Thrush and the Chiguanco Thrush.
- Is the Karoo Thrush endangered?
- The Karoo Thrush is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Karoo Thrush for real
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