T U R D U S M A É A N O N IC U S
TURDUS MARAÑONICUS, Tacz.
M A R A Ñ O N - T H R U S H .
Turdus, sp., Tacz. P. Z. S. 1879, p. 221.
Turdus marañonicus, Tacz. P. Z. S. 1880, p. 189, pi. xx. (ex Stolzm. MSS.); Salvin, Nov. Zool.
ii. p. 2 (1895).
T. pectore maculis squamatis brunneis ornato : caudá olivascenti-brunneá : suprk pallidé olivascenti-brunnens.
The present species is apparently confined to Peru. It was first discovered by Messrs. Stolzmann
and Jelski in the valley of the Marañon, where it was said by them to be common; but Taczanowski
did not describe it as new in 1879, as the only specimen sent by the two Polish travellers from
Tambillo was immature. In 1880, however, adult s p e c i m e n s were described by Taczanowski from
Callacate, to which the MS. name of Turdus marañonicus had been attached by Dr. Stolzmann.
Mr. O. T. Baron has likewise found the species in Northern Peru, and procured specimens at Vina,
Huamachuco, at an elevation of 5500 feet, in February and March.
Mr. Stolzmann says that this Thrush was a bird of passage at Tambillo during the rainy season,
being unknown there from September to May, and only appearing in small numbers at the
commencement of the dry season. It is numerous on the Marañon, and is the only representative of
the family. I t inhabits the mimosa thickets. Its cry of alarm resembles that of other Thrushes, but
Stolzmann says that he never heard its song. At Callacate it was equally as common as on the
Marañon.
The Marañon Thrush belongs to the first section of the genus Turdus, as arranged by Mr. Seebohm,
where the breast is spotted and the tail olive-brown, the second primary being shorter than tne
seventh.
Adult male. General colour pale olive-brown or earthy-brown, with obsolete dusky margins to
the feathers of the upper surface; the mantle with faint shaft-streaks of pale buff; wing-coverts like
the back; quills dusky brown, externally like the back, the primaries edged with whity-brown; tail
a little paler than the back, with obsolete dusky bars under certain lights ; crown of head uniform
with the back, as also the lores, sides of face, and ear-coverts, the latter with pale linear shaft-stripes |
cheeks, throat, and under surface of body white, the former mottled with a few fan-shaped spots of
pale brown, the fore-neck and breast with rather darker crescentic markings of brown, paler again on
the sides of the body ; abdomen and under tail-coverts white; axillaries and under wing-coverts pale
ocbraceous-buff, as also the lining of the quills: “ bill greyish horn-colour; feet ashy: iris dark
brown ” (Stolzmann). Total length 9*1 inches, culmen 1*0 inch, wing 4'7 inches, tail 3-7 inches,
tarsus 1*25 inch.
Adult female. Similar to the male. Total length 9 inches,culmen 0 9 5 inch, wing 4*6 inches,
tail 3*65 inches, tarsus 1*8 inch.
Young. Darker brown than the adults, the dusky margins to the feathers of the upper surface
evident, and the buff shaft-streaks plainly indicated on the back, rump, and upper wing-coverts, the
latter with fan-shaped tips of orange-buff to the lesser and median series, and the greater coverts
edged with orange-buff at the ends, forming a narrow wing-bar; head mottled with pale buff centres
vol. I. Q