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Whistling Thrushes in Malaysia

on 28th April 2008

Peninsular Malaysia has two resident Whistling Thrushes, Blue (Myophonus caeruleus) (above) and Malayan (M. robinsoni). The former has a wide distribution that includes South-central Asia, Southern Tibet, the Himalayas, part of the Indian subcontinent and China, down south to Southeast Asia, up to Sumatra and Java. The Malayan, on the other hand, has a very limited range: confined only to the Main Range from Cameron Highlands south to Genting Highlands (below).

The two species are differentiated by size, the Malayan being, according to Wells (2007), “Roughly 15 percent smaller and proportionately longer – rather than, as often assumed, shorter-tailed than Blue Whistling Thrush…” Also, the Malayan lacks the white spotting on the median wing-coverts, which are not present in the juvenile Blue. The Malayan has blue forehead, which is however, inconspicuous in deep shade.

Few birders have seen the Blue Whistling Thrush and fewer still the Malaysian Whistling Thrush. Ecological information on these birds is scarce and since the discovery of the nesting at Cameron Highlands by Allan Teo, we have made a number of posts on the nesting behaviour: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

KC Tsang & Allan Teo
Singapore
April 2008
(Image of Blue Whistling Thrush by KC Tsang and that of Malayan Whistling Thrush by Allan Teo)

Reference:
Wells, D.R. (2007). The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsular. Vol. II, Passerines. Christopher Helm, London.

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

Other posts by YC Wee

7 Responses

  1. During 2009 a project entitled “A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF THE FIELD IDENTIFICATION, STATUS AND POPULATION OF REGIONALLY ENDEMIC WHISTLING-THRUSH TAXA IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA” will be taking place. Fieldwork for the project will take place at four localities: Cameron Highlands, Fraser’s Hill, Perlis State Park and the limestone hills around Ipoh. Birds will be trapped for morphometric data and colour-banded.

    The Project Team would be grateful to receive any reports of whistling-thrushes in West Malaysia, with the following details:

    Species
    Date
    Location (with GPS/Google Earth coordinates if possible)
    Elevation
    Habitat
    Time of sighting
    Any coloured bands seen (specifying colour and right or left leg
    Nesting details (if any)

    Please send any information to Dave Bakewell at: digdeep1962atyahoodotcom

  2. Not West Malaysia, but observed the nominate, race of the blue-whistling thrush at Fort Canning, Singapore, 3/12/2019. It was feather perfect apart the central pair of tail feathers, being renewed. I took lots of behavioural details but perhaps the bird was an escape, but it was unringed.

  3. The blue-whistling thrush chose a micro habitat, at Fort Canning, remarkably natural for the species. A rivulet of water coming down a storm drain adjacent to the old wall at Fort Canning. It dropped on prey from the wall or bounded along, pitta like on huge legs through the leaf litter and along the green incline. I can provide a full plumage description but I am sure someone else will photograph it, because it looked settled. It looked remarkably like one of the small forms with an all dark bill and lacked the vivid iridescent spangles of a typical whistling thrush. This plumage in dull light showed iridescence mainly on the mantle but the greater covert spots were also noticeable. The duller plumage made it look like one of the duller endemic forms but this is a larger and more powerful bird. .

  4. Notice the 2019 nominate, whistling thrush record has been conservatively assessed. I missed observing the broken beak, myself because it had a sticky residue on it. Like most thrushes there is hook to the beak and on the whistling thrush almost a raptorial cutting notch. These aggressive birds would have their beak tip cut off by a keen aviculturist if keot ib a mixed aviary. I feel sure it was no natural type beak injury but agree it is impossible to prove either way?

    1. Dear Bryon,

      Yes, I have corrected the typo.

      Notice the 2019 nominate, whistling thrush record has been conservatively assessed. I missed observing the broken beak, myself because it had a sticky residue on it. Like most thrushes there is hook to the beak and on the whistling thrush almost a raptorial cutting notch. These aggressive birds would have their beak tip cut off by a keen aviculturist if keot ib (= kept in) a mixed aviary. I feel sure it was no natural type beak injury but agree it is impossible to prove either way?

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