thumb|Orange-headed thrush from [[Bangladesh ]]

thumb|Orange-headed thrush ssp. cyanotus in Sanjay Gandhi National Park, India

The orange-headed thrush (Geokichla citrina) is a bird in the thrush family.

It is common in well-wooded areas of the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. Most populations are resident. The species shows a preference for shady damp areas, and like many Geokichla and Zoothera thrushes, can be quite secretive.

The orange-headed thrush is omnivorous, eating a wide range of insects, earthworms and fruit. It nests in trees but does not form flocks.

The male of this small thrush has uniform grey upperparts, and an orange head and underparts. The females and young birds have browner upper parts.

Taxonomy

This species was first described by John Latham in 1790 as Turdus citrinus, the species name meaning "citrine" and referencing the colour of the head and underparts. It has about 12 subspecies. Rasmussen and Anderton (2005) suggest that this complex may consist of more than one species.

  • G. c. citrina, the nominate subspecies breeds from northern India east along the Himalayas to eastern Bangladesh and possibly in western and northern Burma. It winters further south in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The spelling emendation cyanota is suggested by Rasmussen and Anderton.
  • G. c. innotata breeds through most of South-East Asia from southern Burma and southwestern China to northwest Thailand, central and southern Laos, Cambodia and southern Vietnam. It winter further south in southern Burma, and much of the rest of Thailand into Malaysia.
  • G. c. melli breeds in southeastern China, and is partially migratory, regularly wintering in Hong Kong.
  • G. c. aurata is resident in the mountains of northern Borneo. The chestnut-winged cuckoo, Clamator coromandus, and, very rarely, the common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus have also been claimed as parasites on this species.

Feeding

The orange-headed thrush feeds on the ground in dense undergrowth or other thick cover. It is most active at dawn and dusk, probing the leaf litter for insects and their larvae, spiders, other invertebrates and fruit. In Malaysia, wintering birds regularly feed on figs.

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File:Geokichla citrina, orange-headed thrush - Khao Yai National Park.webm|Geokichla citrina, orange-headed thrush - Khao Yai National Park, Thailand

Image:Geokichla citrina, orange-headed thrush.jpg|Geokichla citrina, orange-headed thrush - Khao Yai National Park, Thailand

File:Orange headed thrush (Z. c. cyanotus).jpg|An orange-headed thrush (ssp. cyanota) at Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary, India

File:Orange-headed thrush (Geokichla citrina cyanota).jpg|Orange-headed Thrush (Geokichla citrina cyanota) at Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, India

Geokichla citrina MHNT.ZOO.2010.11.189.13.jpg|Geokichla citrina - MHNT

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References

  • Videos on the Internet Bird Collection