Orange-headed Thrush

The orange-headed thrush is a small thrush, 20.5–23.5cm long and 47–60g. The adult male of the nominate form has uniform grey upperparts and an orange head and underparts; females and young birds are browner above. There are about 12 subspecies, and the complex may contain more than one species (Wikipedia, general species account).

It lives in moist, broadleaved evergreen woodland with a medium-dense undergrowth of bushes and ferns, and also uses bamboo, secondary growth, large gardens and orchards, often near streams or in shady ravines. Like many ground thrushes it can be quite secretive. It is omnivorous, eating a wide range of insects, earthworms and fruit, nests in trees and does not form flocks. Most populations are resident, but some are partly or fully migratory. SoIB 2023 lists it as resident in India with movements within the country, estimates a long-term decline of about 44%, and rates it a Moderate conservation priority (Wikipedia, general species account; SoIB 2023).