The Dusky Thrush (Turdus eunomus) is a member of the thrush family Turdidae which breeds eastwards from central Siberia. It is closely related to the more southerly breeding Naumann's Thrush T. naumanni; the two have often been regarded as conspecific.
This species breeds in open woodland areas, but unlike Naumann's Thrush, Dusky Thrush is more tolerant of mountainous and tundra-edge habitats. This species is strongly migratory, wintering south to southeast Asia, principally in China and neighbouring countries. It is a rare vagrant to western Europe.
It nests in trees, laying 3-5 eggs in an untidy but neatly lined nest. Migrating birds and wintering birds often form small flocks. It is omnivorous, eating a wide range of insects, especially mosquitoes, earthworms and berries.
This is a medium-sized but stocky thrush, reminiscent in structure of a small Fieldfare. The underwing is reddish brown, and there is a pale supercilium.
Dusky Thrush has a dark brown back and rump; the face, breast, and flank spots rump are black and the belly and undertail are white. Naumann's Thrush in comparison has a paler brown back and head; the face, breast, flank spots and rump are reddish, and the belly and undertail are white.
The female is fairly similar to the male, but immatures have a weaker patterning.
The male Dusky Thrush has a simple fluted or whistling song, similar to the Redwing. There are suggestions that the songs of Dusky and Naumann's Thrush differ.
Famous quotes containing the words dusky and/or thrush:
“I’ve known rivers:
Ancient, dusky rivers.
My soul has grown deep like the rivers.”
—Langston Hughes (1902–1967)
“Sitting in that dusky wilderness, under that dark mountain, by the bright river which was full of reflected light, still I heard the wood thrush sing, as if no higher civilization could be attained. By this time the night was upon us.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)