# Scaly thrush

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The **scaly thrush** (***Zoothera dauma***) is a member of the [thrush](/source/Thrush_(bird)) family Turdidae.

## Distribution and habitat

It breeds in dense wet forests in the [Himalayas](/source/Himalayas) east through southwestern [China](/source/China) to northern [Indochina](/source/Indochina), and with disjunct populations (but possibly separate species) on [Iriomote Island](/source/Iriomote_Island) off southern Japan, and on [Sumatra](/source/Sumatra) and [Java](/source/Java) in [Indonesia](/source/Indonesia).[1]

## Description

The sexes are similar, 27–31 cm long, with black scaling on a paler white or yellowish background. The most striking identification feature in flight is the black band on the white underwings, a feature shared with most other species in the genus *[Zoothera](/source/Zoothera)*, and also [Siberian thrush](/source/Siberian_thrush) in the genus *[Geokichla](/source/Geokichla)*. The male has a song which is a loud, far-carrying mechanical whistle, with 5-10 second pauses between each one second long phrase *twee...tuuu....tuuu....tuuu*.

## Taxonomy

Three [subspecies](/source/Subspecies) are currently accepted:[1]

- *Z. d. dauma* — Himalayas east to southwest China, south to northern Thailand; a short-distance altitudinal migrant, dropping to foothills in winter
- *Z. d. horsfieldi* — [Sumatra](/source/Sumatra), [Java](/source/Java), [Bali](/source/Bali), [Lombok](/source/Lombok) and [Sumbawa](/source/Sumbawa); resident
- *Z. d. iriomotensis* — Iriomote Island; resident

Several other similar thrushes which were formerly treated as further subspecies are now split off as separate species:[1]

- *Z. aurea* ([White's thrush](/source/White's_thrush)), including the subspecies *Z. a. toratugumi*, is a migratory bird from Siberia and north-east Asia, wintering in southeast Asia
- *Z. neilgherriensis* ([Nilgiri thrush](/source/Nilgiri_thrush)) is resident in the hills of southwest [India](/source/India)
- *Z. imbricata* ([Sri Lanka thrush](/source/Sri_Lanka_thrush)) is endemic to the hills of [Sri Lanka](/source/Sri_Lanka) and is particularly distinctive, being smaller, long-billed and [rufous](/source/Rufous) below
- *Z. major* ([Amami thrush](/source/Amami_thrush)) is restricted to the [Amami Islands](/source/Amami_Islands) in [Japan](/source/Japan)
- *Z. machiki* ([fawn-breasted thrush](/source/Fawn-breasted_thrush)) in the Lesser Sunda Islands in eastern Indonesia
- *Z. lunulata* ([Bassian thrush](/source/Bassian_thrush)) in eastern Australia
- *Z. heinei* ([russet-tailed thrush](/source/Russet-tailed_thrush)) in eastern Australia

## Behaviour

The scaly thrush is very secretive, preferring dense cover. It nests in trees, laying three or four dull green [eggs](/source/Bird_egg) in a neat [cup nest](/source/Cup_nest). It is omnivorous, eating a wide range of [insects](/source/Insects), [earthworms](/source/Earthworm) and berries.

## References

1. ["Thrushes – IOC World Bird List"](https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/bow/thrushes/). *IOC World Bird List – Version 15.1*. 2025-02-20. Retrieved 2025-12-05.

- Brazil, Mark (2009) *Birds of East Asia*, Christopher Helm, London.
- Collar, N. J. (2004) [Species limits in some Indonesian thrushes](http://people.pwf.cam.ac.uk/cns26/NJC/Papers/Indonesian_thrushes.pdf), *Forktail*, 20: 71–87.
- Internet Bird Collection. [Common Scaly Thrush (*Zoothera dauma*)](http://ibc.lynxeds.com/species/common-scaly-thrush-zoothera-dauma). Retrieved 10 January 2010.
- *Birds of India* by Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, ISBN 0-691-04910-6
- *Thrushes* by Clement and Hathaway, ISBN 0-7136-3940-7

## External links

- [White's thrush](http://www.vogelringschier.nl/engoudlijster.html) caught at the birdringgingstation at [Schiermonnikoog](/source/Schiermonnikoog_(island_and_municipality)), [Netherlands](/source/Netherlands)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Scaly thrush](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaly_thrush) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaly_thrush?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.