Ruddy-capped Nightingale-thrush
Encyclopedia
The Ruddy-capped Nightingale-thrush (Catharus frantzii) is a small thrush
which is a resident breeder in mountain forests from central Mexico
to western Panama
. A predominantly brown-plumaged bird, it has a rich song.
in 1861. The binomial commemorates the German naturalist Alexander von Frantzius
. Its closest living relatives seem to be the North America
n species complex
containing the Veery
, the Gray-cheeked
, and Bicknell's Thrush
.
This bird's song is a beautiful rich and varied whistle, shee-vee-li-ee-ree, and call is a high thin seet or whooeet.
to western Panama
. It is found in the undergrowth of wet mountain oak
and conifer forests and second growth, typically from about 1350 m to 3500 m altitude.
s and spider
s, and also eats small fruits.
The nest is a bulky lined cup constructed 1–4 m high in dense undergrowth or a thicket, often near water. The two brown-blotched greyish or greenish-blue eggs are incubated by the female alone for 15–16 days to hatching, and the young are fed by both parents for 14–16 days more to fledgling.
Thrush (bird)
The thrushes, family Turdidae, are a group of passerine birds that occur worldwide.-Characteristics:Thrushes are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized birds, inhabiting wooded areas, and often feed on the ground or eat small fruit. The smallest thrush may be the Forest Rock-thrush, at and...
which is a resident breeder in mountain forests from central Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to western Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. A predominantly brown-plumaged bird, it has a rich song.
Taxonomy and naming
The species was first described by German ornithologist Jean CabanisJean Cabanis
Jean Louis Cabanis was a German ornithologist.Cabanis was born in Berlin. He studied at the University of Berlin from 1835 to 1839, and then travelled to North America, returning in 1841 with a large natural history collection. He was assistant and later director of the Berlin University Museum,...
in 1861. The binomial commemorates the German naturalist Alexander von Frantzius
Alexander von Frantzius
Alexander von Frantzius was a German physician and naturalist.Frantzius collected natural history specimens in Brazil from 1849–1853 and Costa Rica in 1853, many of which he sent to Jean Cabanis at the Berlin Museum. He set up a pharmacy in San José in Costa Rica, employing José Castulo Zeledón as...
. Its closest living relatives seem to be the North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n species complex
Species complex
A species complex is a group of closely related species, where the exact demarcation between species is often unclear or cryptic owing to their recent and usually still incomplete reproductive isolation. Ring species, superspecies and cryptic species complex are example of species complex...
containing the Veery
Veery
The Veery, Catharus fuscescens, is a small thrush species. It is occasionally called Willow Thrush or Wilson's Thrush. It is a member of a close-knit group of migrant Catharus species, which also includes the cryptotaxa Grey-cheeked Thrush and Bicknell's Thrush The Veery, Catharus fuscescens, is a...
, the Gray-cheeked
Gray-cheeked Thrush
The Grey-cheeked Thrush, Catharus minimus, is a medium-sized thrush. This species is 15–17 cm in length, and has the white-dark-white underwing pattern characteristic of Catharus thrushes. It is a member of a close-knit group of migrant species together with the Veery and Bicknell's Thrush ;...
, and Bicknell's Thrush
Bicknell's Thrush
The Bicknell's Thrush, Catharus bicknelli, is a medium-sized thrush, at 17.5 cm and 28 g . It was named after Eugene Bicknell, an American amateur ornithologist, who discovered the species on Slide Mountain in the Catskills in the late 19th century.Adults are olive-brown on the upperparts,...
.
Description
This species is 15–18 cm in length and weighs 28 g. The adult has olive-brown upperparts, a rufous crown and nape, pale grey underparts, becoming whitish on the belly, and an orange lower mandible. The juvenile is darker faced, has pale centres to the upperpart feathers, brownish flanks and breast, and dark barring or spots on the belly. Several poorly-defined subspecies have been defined differing in the exact tone of the upper and underpart plumage.This bird's song is a beautiful rich and varied whistle, shee-vee-li-ee-ree, and call is a high thin seet or whooeet.
Distribution and habitat
The Ruddy-capped Nightingale-thrush is a resident breeder in highlands from central MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to western Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. It is found in the undergrowth of wet mountain oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
and conifer forests and second growth, typically from about 1350 m to 3500 m altitude.
Behaviour
The Ruddy-capped Nightingale-thrush will normally forage on the forest floor, alone on in pairs, progressing in hops and dashes with frequent stops. It turns leaf litter in typical thrush fashion seeking insectInsect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s and spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
s, and also eats small fruits.
The nest is a bulky lined cup constructed 1–4 m high in dense undergrowth or a thicket, often near water. The two brown-blotched greyish or greenish-blue eggs are incubated by the female alone for 15–16 days to hatching, and the young are fed by both parents for 14–16 days more to fledgling.