The Bonin thrush, also known as Kittlitz's thrush or the Bonin Islands thrush, is an extinct species of Asian thrush. It is sometimes separated as the only species of the genus Cichlopasser. The only place where this bird was found was Chichi-jima in the Ogasawara Islands; it might conceivably have inhabited Anijima and Otōtojima, but this has not been borne out by observations or specimens. The species was only once observed by a naturalist, its discoverer Heinrich von Kittlitz. He encountered the thrush in the coastal woods where it usually kept to the ground; it may have been ground-nesting. The only specimens ever taken are in the Naturalis in Leiden (1), the Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna (1), the Senckenbergmuseum in Frankfurt (1) and in the Zoological Museum, St. Petersburg (2).
Region
Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands, Northwestern Pacific
Typical Environment
Historically restricted to coastal and lowland evergreen forests on Chichi-jima, possibly also nearby islets. It foraged primarily on the ground in leaf litter within dense understory. The habitat likely included native broadleaf woodland with patches of scrub and edges near coastal slopes. Following human settlement, habitat disturbance and invasive predators likely eliminated remaining refugia.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 300 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called Kittlitz’s thrush, it was confined to the Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands of Japan and is now extinct. Only a handful of specimens exist in European museums, all collected in the 19th century. Its extinction was likely driven by habitat alteration and introduced predators such as rats and cats. Taxonomically it has been placed in Zoothera, though some authors separated it in the monotypic genus Cichlopasser.
1828 illustration
Temperament
shy and retiring
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats through forest understory
Social Behavior
Presumed to live in pairs or small family groups and to be territorial during breeding. Observations suggest it kept close to the ground and may have nested on or near the ground among dense cover. Breeding biology is poorly documented due to its early disappearance.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Likely a mellow, thrush-like series of fluting phrases delivered from low perches. Calls probably included soft tiks and thin seeps used while foraging. Descriptions are sparse and based on inference from related thrushes.
