Clay-colored Thrush
Encyclopedia
The Clay-colored Thrush (Turdus grayi) is a common Middle America
n bird of the thrush family (Turdidae). It is the national bird of Costa Rica
, where it is well known as the yigüirro. It was formerly known as the Clay-colored Robin.
It ranges from South Texas
(where it is rapidly expanding its range) to northern Colombia
; west and north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec
. It is limited to the Atlantic slope, except for a population around Oaxaca City
that probably originates from escaped cagebirds.
. It is about the same length or slightly smaller: 23-27 cm (9-10.5 in), and weighs 74-76 g (2.6 oz.) on average. The plumage is brownish, somewhat lighter below than above, lightest on the flanks. Birds from humid regions are darker than those from dry regions. The throat is faintly streaked. Immature birds have faint mottling on the back and underparts. The bill is greenish-yellow with a dark base, the legs are pinkish or flesh-colored, and the irises are reddish---all useful identification points.
The song, rather low-pitched and with a slow steady tempo, consists of many slurred musical phrases which are often repeated irregularly. The tock flight call is like the American Robin's but harsher.
, the Eurasian Blackbird, and the Song Thrush
. In 1977, the Costa Ricans chose the yigüirro as a national symbol (over many much more colorful birds that inhabit the country) due to its strong and melodious song that always comes during the start of the rainy season. In addition, unlike many of the forest songsters of Costa Rica, the present bird has been familiar to the general population since the country's early history, thanks to the species' tendency to live near houses and settlements.
The Clay-colored Thrush usually forages for fruit or invertebrate
s on the ground or near it, singly or in pairs, but flocks may feed high in fruiting trees. It will follow army ant
s to feed on small prey disturbed by the ant columns.
It builds a heavy cup nest of grass, moss,feathers,leaves and mud on a firm support above the ground, which may include human constructions such as windowsills. It lays 2 to 4 pale blue eggs with red-brown and gray markings between March and July and may double-brood. It is aggressive in defense of its nest having been known to mob raptors as large as Golden Eagles, but is not otherwise particularly territorial.
3. Symbol of the city of San Pedro Sula,Cortes, Honduras...self-proclaimed "La Ciudad del Zorzal", in reference to the bird's local name "zorzal" which there abounds
Middle America (Americas)
Middle America is a region in the mid-latitudes of the Americas. In southern North America, it usually comprises Mexico, the nations of Central America, and the West Indies. The scope of the term may vary...
n bird of the thrush family (Turdidae). It is the national bird of Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, where it is well known as the yigüirro. It was formerly known as the Clay-colored Robin.
It ranges from South Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
(where it is rapidly expanding its range) to northern Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
; west and north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec
Isthmus of Tehuantepec
The Isthmus of Tehuantepec is an isthmus in Mexico. It represents the shortest distance between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, and prior to the opening of the Panama Canal was a major shipping route known simply as the Tehuantepec Route...
. It is limited to the Atlantic slope, except for a population around Oaxaca City
Oaxaca, Oaxaca
The city and municipality of Oaxaca de Juárez, or simply Oaxaca, is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of the same name . It is located in the Centro District in the Central Valleys region of the state, in the foothills of the Sierra Madre at the base of the Cerro del Fortín...
that probably originates from escaped cagebirds.
Description
In general appearance and habits it resembles other Turdus thrushes such as the American RobinAmerican Robin
The American Robin or North American Robin is a migratory songbird of the thrush family. It is named after the European Robin because of its reddish-orange breast, though the two species are not closely related, with the European robin belonging to the flycatcher family...
. It is about the same length or slightly smaller: 23-27 cm (9-10.5 in), and weighs 74-76 g (2.6 oz.) on average. The plumage is brownish, somewhat lighter below than above, lightest on the flanks. Birds from humid regions are darker than those from dry regions. The throat is faintly streaked. Immature birds have faint mottling on the back and underparts. The bill is greenish-yellow with a dark base, the legs are pinkish or flesh-colored, and the irises are reddish---all useful identification points.
The song, rather low-pitched and with a slow steady tempo, consists of many slurred musical phrases which are often repeated irregularly. The tock flight call is like the American Robin's but harsher.
Ecology
In much of its range it is familiar in yards and gardens, similar to some other thrushes such as the American RobinAmerican Robin
The American Robin or North American Robin is a migratory songbird of the thrush family. It is named after the European Robin because of its reddish-orange breast, though the two species are not closely related, with the European robin belonging to the flycatcher family...
, the Eurasian Blackbird, and the Song Thrush
Song Thrush
The Song Thrush is a thrush that breeds across much of Eurasia. It is also known in English dialects as throstle or mavis. It has brown upperparts and black-spotted cream or buff underparts and has three recognised subspecies...
. In 1977, the Costa Ricans chose the yigüirro as a national symbol (over many much more colorful birds that inhabit the country) due to its strong and melodious song that always comes during the start of the rainy season. In addition, unlike many of the forest songsters of Costa Rica, the present bird has been familiar to the general population since the country's early history, thanks to the species' tendency to live near houses and settlements.
The Clay-colored Thrush usually forages for fruit or invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s on the ground or near it, singly or in pairs, but flocks may feed high in fruiting trees. It will follow army ant
Army ant
The name army ant is applied to over 200 ant species, in different lineages, due to their aggressive predatory foraging groups, known as "raids", in which huge numbers of ants forage simultaneously over a certain area, attacking prey en masse.Another shared feature is that, unlike most ant...
s to feed on small prey disturbed by the ant columns.
It builds a heavy cup nest of grass, moss,feathers,leaves and mud on a firm support above the ground, which may include human constructions such as windowsills. It lays 2 to 4 pale blue eggs with red-brown and gray markings between March and July and may double-brood. It is aggressive in defense of its nest having been known to mob raptors as large as Golden Eagles, but is not otherwise particularly territorial.
Footnotes
3. Symbol of the city of San Pedro Sula,Cortes, Honduras...self-proclaimed "La Ciudad del Zorzal", in reference to the bird's local name "zorzal" which there abounds
External links
- Page from eNature
- The Sights and Sounds of Costa Rica with two .wav files of Clay-colored Robin songs