Chestnut-capped Thrush
Encyclopedia
The Chestnut-capped Thrush (Zoothera interpres) lives in forests and woodlands of Southeast Asia
. It is a songbird
species
in the family
Turdidae. Traditionally, it has included the Enggano Thrush
as a subspecies
, but a recent review recommended treating them as separate. Consequently, the Chestnut-capped Thrush is monotypic
.
The Chestnut-capped Thrush has a black back and a white belly with black spots. As its common name
suggests, it has a chestnut cap. Its face is black with a white mark on the cheeks and another on the lores. The superficially similar Chestnut-backed Thrush
is substantially larger when seen alongside one another, and has a black crown and rufous back, whereas the Enggano Thrush has an olive-ochre back and little or no white on the lores and auriculars.
The Chestnut-capped Thrush is very rare in zoo
s. According to ISIS
, Chester Zoo
had the only female outside of Asia, until she died in 2007. However, small numbers have been held in private European aviaries since the mid-1990s and very small numbers remain as of late 2009.
It was formerly classified as a species of Least Concern
by the IUCN. New research has shown it to be rarer than previously believed. Consequently, it is uplisted to Near Threatened
status in 2008.
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
. It is a songbird
Songbird
A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds . Another name that is sometimes seen as scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin oscen, "a songbird"...
species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Turdidae. Traditionally, it has included the Enggano Thrush
Enggano Thrush
The Enggano Thrush is a species of bird in the Turdidae family. It is endemic to rainforests on Enggano Island off Sumatra in Indonesia. It has traditionally been considered a subspecies of the Chestnut-capped Thrush....
as a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
, but a recent review recommended treating them as separate. Consequently, the Chestnut-capped Thrush is monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
.
The Chestnut-capped Thrush has a black back and a white belly with black spots. As its common name
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
suggests, it has a chestnut cap. Its face is black with a white mark on the cheeks and another on the lores. The superficially similar Chestnut-backed Thrush
Chestnut-backed Thrush
The Chestnut-backed thrush is a ground thrush species endemic to Lombok, Timor and the Lesser Sunda Islands in Indonesia. The species is rapidly declining and it is already extinct on Lombok and possibly on Lesser Sunda...
is substantially larger when seen alongside one another, and has a black crown and rufous back, whereas the Enggano Thrush has an olive-ochre back and little or no white on the lores and auriculars.
The Chestnut-capped Thrush is very rare in zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
s. According to ISIS
International Species Information System
-External links:*...
, Chester Zoo
Chester Zoo
Chester Zoo is a zoological garden at Upton-by-Chester, in Cheshire, England. It was opened in 1931 by George Mottershead and his family, who used as a basis some animals reported to have come from an earlier zoo in Shavington. It is one of the UK's largest zoos at...
had the only female outside of Asia, until she died in 2007. However, small numbers have been held in private European aviaries since the mid-1990s and very small numbers remain as of late 2009.
It was formerly classified as a species of Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern is an IUCN category assigned to extant taxon or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, Near Threatened, or Conservation Dependent...
by the IUCN. New research has shown it to be rarer than previously believed. Consequently, it is uplisted to Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Near Threatened is a conservation status assigned to species or lower taxa that may be considered threatened with extinction in the near future, although it does not currently qualify for the threatened status...
status in 2008.