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: innotata, which has faint brown "teardrop" markings on face and white wingbar, and citrina, which lacks the facial markings and wingbar. Rarely recorded are birds with prominent, thick brown facial stripes – more prominent than in innotata – 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
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 November 3, 2024 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/orange-headed-thrush.