BIRDGACHA / FIELD NOTES
Thrush-tanager
The Rosy Thrush-tanager is a relatively large, long-tailed songbird with grey upperparts and richly coloured underparts. Males show rosy or raspberry tones, while females have a warmer orange appearance. The species in this catalogue is Rosy Thrush-tanager (Rhodinocichla rosea). It searches leaf litter and low cover for invertebrates and other food, often remaining difficult to see. Pairs can give coordinated, fluting duets. Its English name combines two familiar bird groups, but the catalogue assigns this distinctive species to its own family; the sex-specific underpart colours provide a useful explanation for photographs that initially look different.
How to recognize Thrush-tanager
- Bill: a substantial pointed bill.
- Outline: a long-tailed grey body with warm-coloured underparts.
- Feeding: turning litter and searching low cover for small food.
Where they live
Dense scrub, tangled undergrowth and wooded habitats in scattered parts of Mexico, Central America and northern South America support the species. Some occupied settings are seasonally dry rather than permanently wet rainforest. Birds remain close to cover and can use overgrown secondary vegetation. The distribution is discontinuous, making precise locality information important: similar-looking habitat between known populations does not necessarily establish that the species occurs throughout the intervening region.
Species account: Rosy Thrush-tanager
Sources — natural history: Wikipedia: Thrush-tanager natural history · Cornell Birds of the World: Rosy Thrush-tanager species account · Don Roberson: Thrush-tanager field observations and natural history.
Classification: IOC World Bird List: family names and classification.
Some Cornell Birds of the World account sections require a subscription.
Updated 2026-11-06. Species counts follow this site's catalogue. This is an editorial summary, not an expert peer review.
Species records retain their original English, Chinese and scientific names.
1 result · page 1 of 1
