Tuesday, 7 May 2013

THRUSH 4/7 - Blue Rock Thrush

 
Blue Rock Thrush
 
Found on cliff and stony areas Come down to eye level and approachable to 30 ft in open ground. Size about 7-9 inch in length. Stay very still on open rock like in photo. I have seen them in pairs.

The Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola solitarius) breeds in southern Europe and northwest Africa and from central Asia to northern China and Malaysia.In Peninsular Malaysia, the thrush, true to its name, breeds in limestone outcrops and according to Collar (2005), is has been observed recently to breed also in city buildings. Here, it is a resident as well as a migratory bird.

Such limestone habitat is where the bird builds its nest, a shallow cup or rough pad of grass, leaves and rootlets lined with soft grass, and sometimes also feathers and/or plant floss. The nest is placed under a rock overhang or in a cliff crevice.

 
 
The male is smoky blue with dark wings (top) while the female and immature have dark brown upperparts and paler brown and scaly underparts (above). The bird is omnivorous, taking insects and other arthropods on the ground as well as on the wing. It also eats snails, lizards and berries.

The male has a clear and rich melodious song.

Incidentally, the bird is Malta’s national bird

 



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