The black-headed nightingale-thrush is a species of bird in the family Turdidae. It is found in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.
Region
Southern Mexico and Central America
Typical Environment
Occurs from southern Mexico through Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and western Panama. It inhabits humid evergreen and cloud forests, mature secondary woodlands, and forest edges with dense understory. Birds are frequently found along ravines and near streams where cover is thick. It tolerates some disturbance if understory remains intact, but is most common in well-vegetated montane habitats.
Altitude Range
600–2500 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A shy understory thrush of humid montane forests, the black-headed nightingale-thrush is best located by its clear, fluty, ethereal song. It often forages low or on the ground, flicking leaves in search of insects and small fruits. The species is largely resident across Mesoamerican highlands, with some local upslope–downslope movements following fruiting and seasonal rains.
Temperament
shy and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low and direct through understory
Social Behavior
Typically solitary or in territorial pairs during the breeding season. Builds a cup-shaped nest low in shrubs or small trees; both parents participate in care. Outside breeding, individuals may forage loosely near other understory birds but rarely form large flocks.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
Song is a series of clear, fluty whistles with rich, melancholic phrases and deliberate pauses, typical of Catharus thrushes. Calls include thin, high tseep notes and soft contact chips from dense cover.
Plumage
Olive-brown upperparts with a contrasting sooty-black to dark slate head; throat and breast gray grading to paler belly. Wings and tail olive-brown with subtle rufous or warm tones. Clean, crisp white eye-ring is usually evident.
Diet
Takes a mix of arthropods such as beetles, ants, spiders, and caterpillars, especially during the breeding season. Consumes small fruits and berries from understory shrubs and forest trees, often switching to more fruit in wetter seasons. Occasionally gleans from low foliage but frequently picks prey from leaf litter.
Preferred Environment
Forages on or near the forest floor and in dense understory, especially along shaded trails, stream banks, and thickets. Uses cover to move between feeding spots and often works edges of clearings with intact shrub layers.
