Somali Thrush
Encyclopedia
The Somali Thrush also known as the Somali Blackbird, is a songbird
species
in the family
Turdidae. It is endemic to Somalia
.
It has a black head and breast, yellow bill
, brown back and wings and a grey belly with red sides.
Its natural habitat
s are montane juniper
woodlands and open areas between 1,300-2,000 m.
It is threatened by habitat loss and was formerly classified as Critically Endangered
by the IUCN. Recent research has found that the loss of habitat is not as severe as first feared and the species is downlisted to Vulnerable
in 2008. Local conservation efforts have apparently aided in the protection of forests.
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. It is endemic to Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
.
It has a black head and breast, yellow bill
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
, brown back and wings and a grey belly with red sides.
Its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s are montane juniper
Juniper
Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the...
woodlands and open areas between 1,300-2,000 m.
It is threatened by habitat loss and was formerly classified as Critically Endangered
Critically Endangered
Critically Endangered is the highest risk category assigned by the IUCN Red List for wild species. Critically Endangered means that a species' numbers have decreased, or will decrease, by 80% within three generations....
by the IUCN. Recent research has found that the loss of habitat is not as severe as first feared and the species is downlisted to Vulnerable
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
in 2008. Local conservation efforts have apparently aided in the protection of forests.