Tibetan Blackbird      Turdus maximus 

Etymology:

• Turdus : Latin word for Thrush

• Maximus : Latin word for Greatest, Biggest, Largest

Distribution: Winter Visitor from Uttarakhand to Arunachal Pradesh 

Description: Size of 23–28 cm. Both the sexes may have subtle hooded appearance The male is brownish-black, with stronger black head, breast, wings and tail. The bill is dull orange yellow. The legs are dark. The female is blackish brown above, browner below, faint throat streaks. The bill is dusky yellow. The juvenile is like female but mottled greyish-buff from back to wing-coverts and rump, streaked greyish-buff on throat, barred greyish-buff on belly to vent.

Habitat: It is found in subalpine environment. It breeds in bushy patches of dwarf juniper and rhododendron scrub on steep grassy, rocky slopes and alpine meadows just above tree-line. In breeding season found  at 3200–4800 m. It winters in shrubs and juniper at lower levels, usually not below 3000 m.

Food habits:  It eats Earthworms, molluscs, insects like caterpillars, small lizards, fruits, berries and seeds. It forages on ground, hopping agilely over rocks and boulders; favours soft bare ground at edges of melting snow. In late summer, forages in small parties of up to ten individuals.

Breeding habits: They  breed in May–Jul. The nest is a bulky compact cup with some mud, lined with animal hair and finer grass, placed on ground amid roots, at foot of boulder, in low bush or on cliff face. They lay a clutch of 3–4 eggs. The incubation period is 12–13 days, nestling period is 16–18 days.