Austral thrush

Austral thrush
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Turdidae
Genus:	Turdus
Species:	T. falcklandii
Binomial name
Turdus falcklandii Quoy & Gaimard, 1824
Subspecies
See text

The austral thrush (Turdus falcklandii) is a medium-sized thrush from southern South America. There are three subspecies, the Magellan thrush (T. f. magellanicus) from south Argentina and south and central Chile, the Falkland thrush (T. f. falcklandii) from the Falkland Islands, and T. f. pembertoni from the Neuquén and Río Negro provinces of Argentina.

The austral thrush is similar to the European blackbird, also of the genus Turdus, with a yellow bill and feet, a dark brown head, back and wings and paler underparts. The smaller T. f. magellanicus is more olive below, while in T. f. falcklandii the underside tends towards ochre. Both subspecies have streaked throats.

In Chile and Argentina the austral thrush lives in a variety of habitats from Nothofagus forests to agricultural lands and even gardens. On the Falkland Islands it makes use of human altered habitat as well but is most numerous in tussac grasses near beaches.

Gallery

• 
  Falkland thrush, illustration by Keulemans, 1881
• 
  T. f. falcklandii, at Gypsy Cove, East Falkland.
• 
  T. f. magellanicus in Central Chile

References

• Collar, N. J. (2005) Family Turdidae (Thrushes) pp. 514–811 in: del Hoyo. J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., (eds), Handbook of the Birds of the World, Volume Ten, Cuckoo-shrikes to Thrushes, ISBN 84-87334-72-5

External links

• Videos on the Internet Bird Collection
• Stamps^[usurped] (for Chile, Falkland Islands) with a range map
• Photo gallery on VIREO
• Photo; Article sunbirdtours
• Photo; Article railwaytouring.co.uk