Scientific Name: Geokichla citrina
Malay Name: Murai-Tanah Jingga Asia
Chinese Name: 橙头地鸫
Range: Found from Indian subcontinent, Southern China to Indochina, wintering to mainland Southeast Asia.
Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: citrina, cyanota, innotata, melli, courtoisi, aurimacula, andamanensis, albogularis, aurata, rubecula.
Local Subspecies: innotata, citrina, aurimacula/courtoisi/melli
Size: 20.5-23.5 cm
Identification: Distinctive orange head and underparts and plain grey or brown upperparts distinguish this species from all other thrushes recorded in Singapore. Two subspecies regularly occur in Singapore: citrina, which has faint brown "teardrop" markings on face and white wingbar, and innotata, which lacks the facial markings and wingbar. Rarely recorded are birds with prominent, thick brown facial stripes on a paler face – more prominent than in citrina – which breed in east Asia and may represent any of aurimacula, courtoisi, or melli (collectively referred to as the "aurimacula group").
Habitat: Forest and wooded areas, also occasionally in parks.
Behaviour/Ecology: Forages on the ground for insects but also feeds on fruits.
Local Status: Rare migrant
Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2019)
Location: Central Catchment Forest, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Bidadari, Singapore Botanic Gardens and West Coast Park.
Featured reports: Mar 2022, Dec 2022, Feb 2023, Mar 2023, Feb 2024, Dec 2024
Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (Orange-headed Thrush)
References:
BirdLife International. (2019). Geokichla citrina. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T22708375A152676506.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023
Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.
Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula (Vol. 1). Academic Press, London.
RECOMMENDED CITATION
Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Orange-headed Thrush. Retrieved on February 16, 2025 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/orange-headed-thrush.