Diagnostic white collar of White-collared Blackbird Turdus albocinctus makes identifying this thrush-in-a-tux a simple matter. Southern and eastern Tibet and western Sichuan form part of White-collared Blackbird’s Himalayan range. Locally common summer visitor to conifer and rhododendron forests and high alpine meadows, to 4000 m (13,120 ft.). Male has distinct white collar, contrasting with otherwise black plumage. Bill, eye-ring, and feet yellow. Collar of female dirtier, other plumage brown to rufous. Juveniles have scales and streaks and lack collar; males are darker. Song sad, less complex than Common Blackbird T. merula. Robust alarm call. — Craig Brelsford
THE TRUE THRUSHES OF CHINA
shanghaibirding.com has research on all 24 species in the genus Turdus in China. Click any link:
Grey-backed Thrush Turdus hortulorum
Tickell’s Thrush T. unicolor
Black-breasted Thrush T. dissimilis
Japanese Thrush T. cardis
White-collared Blackbird T. albocinctus
Grey-winged Blackbird T. boulboul
Common Blackbird T. merula
Chinese Blackbird T. mandarinus
Tibetan Blackbird T. maximus
Chestnut Thrush T. rubrocanus
White-backed Thrush T. kessleri
Grey-sided Thrush T. feae
Eyebrowed Thrush T. obscurus
Pale Thrush T. pallidus
Brown-headed Thrush T. chrysolaus
Black-throated Thrush T. atrogularis
Red-throated Thrush T. ruficollis
Naumann’s Thrush T. naumanni
Dusky Thrush T. eunomus
Fieldfare T. pilaris
Redwing T. iliacus
Song Thrush T. philomelos
Chinese Thrush T. mupinensis
Mistle Thrush T. viscivorus
See also:
Taiwan Thrush Turdus niveiceps
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Daniel Bengtsson served as chief ornithological consultant for Craig Brelsford’s Photographic Field Guide to the Birds of China, from which this species description is drawn.
