Orange-headed Thrush

Latin Name: 
Zoothera citrina
Category: 
Thrushes
Size: 
21cm
Description: 

Blue-grey above; orangish-rufous head, nape and underbody; white ear-coverts with two dark brown vertical stripes; white throat and shoulder-patch. The Orange-headed nominate race has entire head rufous-orange. Usually in pairs; feeds on ground, rummaging in leaf litter and under thick growth; flies into leafy branch if disturbed; occasionally associates with laughingthrushes and babblers; vocal and restless when breeding.

Habitat: 
Shaded forests, bamboo groves, gardens. after flying into tree. Feeds on invertebrates in leaf litter. Crepuscular. Nests low in tree.
Distribution: 
Peninsular India south of a line from S Gujarat across to Orissa; the nominate race breeds in the Himalaya, NE; winters in foothills, terai, parts of E India, Gangetic plains and south along E Ghats.
Call: 
Call Description: 
Loud, rich song, often with a mix of other birds’ calls thrown in; noisy in early mornings and late evenings; also a shrill, screechy kreeee call.
IUCN: 
Least Concern
National Status: 
widespread resident
At IITK: 
very local resident