Taita thrush [SEP] IUCN conservation status
Taita thrush
The Taita thrush ("Turdus helleri"), 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.
Description.
The Taita thrush was previously classified as subspecies of the olive thrush ("Turdus olivaceus"), but it is regarded as distinct species since 1985. It reaches a length between 20 and 22 centimetres. Head, breast and upperparts are coloured darkly. The
birds – with the thrush as the flagship species – to champion the conservation of the Taita Hills forests.
Ecology.
It is restricted to montane moist forests. Despite its natural native habitat having been severely logged in the past, it has avoided forests with secondary growth, shrub vegetation, and cultivated areas. Extensive research has shown only very few migrations between the fragmented populations.
External links.
- Birdlife factsheet - Turdus helleri
- Taita-Hills Biodiversity Project Report (pdf)
- Taita thrush illustrated