Blue Whistling Thrush

Myophonus caeruleus (Scopoli, 1786)

31–35 cmLength158 gWeight

This deep purple-blue thrush often gives human-like whistling calls at dawn and dusk.

Busiest months: February · Most records: China, India, Thailand

Least Concern

How to identify

Field marks

Deep purple-blue overall
Feather tips with sparkling pale blue or white spots
Median coverts with white spots at the tips in most subspecies
Bill usually yellow, but black in central and eastern China; legs and feet black

Male, female and young

Sexes similar in plumage.

Voice

Loud, human-like whistles at dawn and dusk; a grating “kree” in alarm.

Where and when it's recorded

Blue Whistling Thrush has been recorded at 814 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 18 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

SattalIndia1,675 records
Munsyari – Bheema WodeyarIndia1,661 records
Po ToiHong Kong (China)1,537 records

More places

Kinmen – Botanical GardenChina1,465 records
Doi Inthanon NP – summitThailand1,399 records
Wildlife Institute of IndiaIndia1,267 records
Tai Po Kau Nature ReserveHong Kong (China)984 records
Forest Research Institute (FRI), New Forest CampusIndia958 records
Doi Inthanon NPThailand908 records
Kaeng Krachan NP – Baan Maka Nature LodgeThailand793 records

Countries and regions with the most records

China India Thailand Nepal Bhutan Vietnam Pakistan Indonesia

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The Chinese whistling thrush or blue whistling thrush (Myophonus caeruleus) is a bird in the Old World flycatchers family Muscicapidae that is found in the mountains of Central Asia, South Asia, China and Southeast Asia. It is known for its loud human-like whistling song at dawn and dusk. Like others in the genus, they feed on the ground, often along streams and in damp places, foraging for snails, crabs, insects, and fruit.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Blue Whistling Thrush?

The Blue Whistling Thrush is about 31–35 cm long and weighs around 158 g.

Where does the Blue Whistling Thrush live?

Its breeding range: Oriental: widespread, also central, south-central Asia. It is most often recorded in China, India and Thailand.

When is the best time to see the Blue Whistling Thrush?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in February (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Blue Whistling Thrush endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Blue Whistling Thrush as Least Concern.

What does the Blue Whistling Thrush eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Blue Whistling Thrush in?

It belongs to the family Chats, Old World Flycatchers (Muscicapidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length: 31–35 cm
Weight: 158 g
Habitat: Forest
Diet: Omnivore
Lifestyle: Active on the ground
Migration: Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 169 mm
Tail: 119 mm
Bill: 33 mm
Tarsus: 50 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Oriental: widespread, also central, south-central Asia

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Subspecies · 3

Myophonus caeruleus temminckii mountains of c Asia to wc China and ne Myanmar
Myophonus caeruleus caeruleus c, e China
Myophonus caeruleus eugenei c Myanmar to e Thailand, s China and n, c Indochina