Taita Thrush
Encyclopedia
The Taita Thrush also known as Taita Olive Thrush or Heller's Ground Thrush, is a critically endangered bird from the family of thrushes
(Turdidae
), endemic to the Taita Hills
in Kenya
.
(Turdus olivaceus), but it is regarded as distinct species since 1985. It reaches a length between 20 to 22 centimetres. Head, breast and upperparts are coloured darkly. The underparts are white and the flanks have a rufous hue. The eyes and the bill exhibit a pale orange coloration. It was named after zoologist Edmund Heller
(1875–1939) a workmate of the American ornithologist Edgar Alexander Mearns
(1856–1916) who described this species scientifically in 1913.
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...
(Turdidae
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...
), endemic to the Taita Hills
Taita Hills
The Taita Hills, sometimes also spelled as Teita Hills, are a precambrian mountain range in the south-west of Kenya in Taita-Taveta District. The hills consist of three massifs namely Dabida, Sagalla in the southern side of Voi township and Kasigau in the south near the border of Tanzania...
in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
.
Description
The Taita Thrush was previously classified as subspecies of the Olive ThrushOlive Thrush
The Olive Thrush is, in its range, one of the most common members of the thrush family . It occurs in east African highlands from Eritrea and Ethiopia in north to the Cape of Good Hope in south...
(Turdus olivaceus), but it is regarded as distinct species since 1985. It reaches a length between 20 to 22 centimetres. Head, breast and upperparts are coloured darkly. The underparts are white and the flanks have a rufous hue. The eyes and the bill exhibit a pale orange coloration. It was named after zoologist Edmund Heller
Edmund Heller
Edmund Heller was an American zoologist.Heller attended Stanford University in 1896 and finished his study of zoology with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1901. From 1926 to 1928 he was curator of mammals at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago...
(1875–1939) a workmate of the American ornithologist Edgar Alexander Mearns
Edgar Alexander Mearns
Edgar Alexander Mearns was a notable American ornithologist and field naturalist....
(1856–1916) who described this species scientifically in 1913.
