Blue Whistling-thrush


Blue Whistling-thrush

 

(Myophonus caeruleus), a bird of the family Turdidae of the order Passeriformes. The blue whistling-thrush is about 33 cm in length. The plumage is blue-black, and the feather tips are highly iridescent. The bill is yellow.

The blue whistling-thrush is distributed throughout the mountains of southern Asia. In the USSR it is found in the Tien-Shan and Pamir-Alai at elevations of 1,000 to 3,500 m; it descends to lower elevations in winter. It settles in pairs along the banks of mountain streams; the bulky nest is placed on cliffs near water. A clutch contains four to six eggs. The blue whistling-thrush feeds on mollusks, insects, and other invertebrates and on berries. It is a gifted songster.