Chinese Blackbird

Scientific Name: Turdus mandarinus
Malay Name: Murai-Belanda Hitam Cina
Chinese Name: 乌鸫

Range:
Breeding and winter range includes China and northern Indochina.

Taxonomy:
Polytypic. Subspecies are: sowerbyi, mandarinus.

Size: 28-29 cm

Identification:
As the name suggests, male is all black with orange-yellow bill and eyering; female is dark brown with slightly darker wings.

Habitat: Open habitat, inlcuding woodland, parks, grasslands.

Behaviour/Ecology: Prefers foraging on ground. Part of the family Turdidae that includes other more well-known thrushes in Singapore such as the Orange-headed Thrush and Eyebrowed Thrush.

Local Status: Very rare vagrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2018)

Featured articles:

• Bird List Revision for March 2020 (Revisions)

Past accepted records in our database:

Past records, bar chart (see more bar charts):

Chinese Blackbird at Jurong Lake Gardens. Photo credit: Keita Sin