Birds of Singapore
by the Bird Society of Singapore
Turdus mandarinus
Family: Thrushes and Allies · Status: Vagrant · Size: 28–29 cm · Conservation: Least Concern
Occurs across China and northern Indochina, with northern populations partially migratory, wintering south to southern China, Hainan, and northern Indochina.
Male is all black with an orange-yellow bill and eyering; female is dark brown with slightly darker wings. Juvenile is dark brown with pale buff mottling. Siberian Thrush has prominent white supercilium, Asian Glossy Starling is slimmer overall with dark bill and red iris, Javan Myna and Common Myna have yellow instead of black legs, and yellow iris in Javan Myna and yellow ear patch in Common Myna.
Open woodland, parks, and grasslands; forages mainly on the ground.
Forages mostly on the ground, turning leaf litter and probing for earthworms and insects; also takes fruit in trees and bushes.