Fun Nilgiri Thrush Facts For Kids

The Nilgiri thrush (Zoothera neilgherriensis) is native to India and the surrounding areas. Their geographic range includes Western Ghats, Sri Lanka, and some high hills of India.

It belongs to the Turdidae family, genus Zoothera and phylum Chordata. The bird is known as Drozd škridličkatý in Slovak, nilgiri erddrossel in German, grive des nilgiri in French and drozdoń tygrysi in Polish. In contrast, in Dutch, it is known as nilgirigoudlijster.

This bird species is also closely related to Nilgiri laughing thrush species. Their geographic distribution is common in several regions of Asia.

The Nilgiri thrush female is almost the same as the Nilgiri thrush male. Their feathers are black, white, and pale in color. The Nilghiri, or Nilgiri, z appearance is similar to the Siberian thrush.

Their name comes from the fact that it is endemic to the Nilgiri hills of India. However, the scientific name of this bird was given by Edward Blyth in 1847. Zoothera neilgherriensis (Nilgiri thrush) has economic importance as the Nilgiri thrush diet mainly consists of insects.

To know more about other birds species, you can also check out greater sage grouse facts and blackpoll warbler facts.

Nilgiri Thrush Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Nilgiri Thrush?

The Nilgiri thrush (Zoothera neilgherriensis) is a type of bird of the world from the thrush family that is usually found in India.

What class of animal does a Nilgiri Thrush belong to?

The Nilgiri thrush is a thrush bird that belongs to the class Aves, the family Turdidae, genus Zoothera, and phylum Chordata.

How many Nilgiri Thrushes are there in the world?

Nilgiri thrushes are birds of the world, with nearly 45 species among Zoothera thrushes across the world. Some of them include long-tailed thrush (Zoothera dixoni), Himalayan thrush (Zoothera salimalii), long-billed thrush (Zoothera monticola), Sichuan thrush (Zoothera griseiceps), and fawn-breasted thrush (Zoothera machiki).

A few of them also have different subspecies within their species. These thrushes are mostly found in Asia. However, the exact population size of the Nilgiri thrush is unknown.

Where does a Nilgiri Thrush live?

The Zoothera neilgherriensis (Nilgiri thrush) bird is endemic to India, Western Ghats and Sri Lanka. This Nilghiri, or nilgirigoudlijster, is a bird that is restricted to the shola, a cloud forest found in high elevation that is separated by alternating montane grassland.

The Nilgiri thrush (Zoothera neilgherriensis) is rarely seen on roads on rainy days, feeding on insects as it is an opportunistic insectivore.

Mostly thriving in the Nilghiri, or Nilgiri, region, Zoothera neilgherriensis (Nilgiri thrush) distribution is restricted because of habitat loss due to human activities. They are non-migratory birds.

What is a Nilgiri Thrush's habitat?

The Nilgiri thrush (Zoothera neilgherriensis) is a resident bird of the Nilgiri or Nilghiri region in India. It prefers the habitat of the shola forest.

The scaled pattern of Nilgiri thrushes provides them with camouflage in the forest. The bird forages in the dense undergrowth and fringes of the shola forest, although it is also found in wooded gardens, thick scrub spots, and forest edges.

The species is common in its habitat, but the population is diminutive and decreasing continuously because of the massive destruction of shola forests.

Documenting the Nilghiri bird is arduous, as it usually lives among thickets, rarely coming out to show its presence. The chances of seeing the Nilgiri thrush are high at the Doddabetta and Ooty areas of the Nilgiri hills, among other parts of the world.

Who do Nilgiri Thrushes live with?

Whether the Nilgiri thrushes live alone or in groups is unknown. Though like other birds, it is assumed that they flock together during the breeding season.

How long does a Nilgiri Thrush live?

The life span of the Nilgiri thrush (Zoothera neilgherriensis) has not yet been estimated.

How do they reproduce?

There is only a little information available about the reproduction process among Nilgiri thrush birds. The breeding season of these thrushes starts in January and continues throughout June.

The construction of nests occurs from February to early June. These nests are generally made of roots, small twigs, dry leaves, and lichen. Internally, it is lined with thin and soft grass stems.

In this species, the clutch size consists of two eggs per season, which are greenish-blue with one to three big and small brown spots and streaks. Both parents take care of their chicks by feeding and protecting them until they are ready to fledge from the nest.

What is their conservation status?

The Nilgiri thrush (Zoothera neilgherriensis) is an Endangered bird species, as per the IUCN Red List.

Nilgiri Thrush Fun Facts

What do Nilgiri Thrushes look like?

The Nilgiri thrush bird belongs to the Turdidae family, genus Zoothera and is scientifically known as Zoothera neilgherriensis. Due to their shy nature, there is not much information about the physical description and identification features of Nilgiri Thrushes.

However, through references, it has been observed that both sexes are similar, with a total body length of 10-12 in (25.4-30.4 cm) and weighing between 35.2-56.4 oz (1-1.6 kg). The Nilgiri thrush's wingspan is 64.5-70 in (164–178 cm).

There are visible black scales on their pale, white, or yellowback.

However, the most amazing feature of these birds is their black band present within their white underwings which is also similar to Siberian thrush. As the population of Nilgiri thrushes has been decreasing, their conservation status is Endangered.

How cute are they?

Nilgiri thrushes are birds of the world that look cute with their amazing black and white pattern on their tiny body.

How do they communicate?

Nilgiri thrush (Zoothera neilgherriensis) birds belong to the thrush family that is shy in nature. This species mostly communicate through a loud song which is a far-carrying mechanical whistle, 'twee...tuuu....tuuu....tuuu'. There are about 5-10 second interruptions between two long phrases.

How big is a Nilgiri Thrush?

The total body length of a Nilgiri thrush (Zoothera neilgherriensis) is 10-12 in (25.4-30.4 cm), which is 20 times bigger than the hermit thrush.

How fast can a Nilgiri Thrush fly?

The flying speed of Nilgiri thrush (Zoothera neilgherriensis) is unknown as it is rarely seen flying because of its small population.

How much does a Nilgiri Thrush weigh?

The Nilgiri thrush (Zoothera neilgherriensis) is endemic to India and weighs 35.2-56.4 oz (1-1.6 kg). They are seven times heavier and bigger than the song thrush.

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no specific names to describe the male and female Nilgiri thrushes.

What would you call a baby Nilgiri Thrush?

Like other bird babies, the baby Nilgiri thrush (Zoothera neilgherriensis) is generally known as a chick.

What do they eat?

These Passeriformes are omnivores that feed on insects like crickets, grasshoppers, spiders, and so on, along with nuts, berries, and nectar. They are rarely seen feeding in groups.

Are they dangerous?

No, Nilgiri thrush es(Zoothera neilgherriensis) are not dangerous birds. In fact, these thrushes are cute and lovable.

Would they make a good pet?

The Nilgiri thrush (Zoothera neilgherriensis) is an endangered bird. Therefore, it is not possible to buy them as pets. However, their calm personality and shyness make them quite adorable to pet.

Did you know...

Previously, the Nilgiri thrush (Zoothera neilgherriensis) was considered a subspecies of the scaly thrush group.

Are Nilgiri Thrushes endangered?

Nilgiri thrushes are endemic to Nilgiri hills. Due to their restricted distribution range and various threats, they are now considered Endangered in the IUCN's Red List.

Major threats to this species include reservoirs, human settlements, and plantations in their common region. From 1961 to 1988, about 47% of forest was lost in Kerala, while there was an escalation in plantations and deciduous forest cover of approximately 7%.

Another major problem is the excessive use of inorganic pesticides. The species is highly sensitive to climate change because of its distribution range at the maximum altitude.

The thrush is endemic to the Western Ghats. Still, due to their range of distribution and population decreasing, they have been protected by the Wildlife Reserves to ensure that their population returns to normal and that their number does not decrease further, as it can lead to their extinction in the future.

What role does Nilgiri Thrush play in the ecosystem?

The Nilgiri thrush plays an important role in the ecosystem on Earth. As an insectivore, the Nilgiri thrush (Zoothera neilgherriensis) is known to balance the population of insects in the Nilgiri region.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our bobwhite quail facts and blue grouse facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Nilgiri thrush coloring pages.