The Christmas island thrush is a species of passerine in the family Turdidae. It is endemic to Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean. It was formerly considered a subspecies of island thrush, but was classified as its own species in 2024 by the IOC and Clements checklist.
Region
Eastern Indian Ocean
Typical Environment
Occurs throughout the remaining primary evergreen rainforest of Christmas Island, using terraces and plateau forests on limestone. It frequents dense understory and shaded gullies, foraging in leaf litter and along forest tracks. The species also visits forest edges and, occasionally, vegetated areas near the island’s settlement. Nesting is usually in trees or dense shrubs within intact forest.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 360 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This forest thrush is confined to Australia’s remote Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean. It forages quietly on the forest floor, often flicking leaf litter to uncover insects and other invertebrates, and also takes native fruits. It was formerly treated as a subspecies of Island Thrush but was elevated to full species by IOC and Clements in 2024. As with many island birds, it may be vulnerable to habitat changes and invasive predators.
Museum bird skin specimen
Temperament
shy and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Typically solitary or in pairs, maintaining territories within forest. Builds a neat cup nest placed in a fork or on a horizontal branch in dense foliage. Both parents likely share incubation and feeding duties, as is typical of Turdus thrushes.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A mellow, fluty series of whistles delivered from a concealed perch, often at dawn and dusk. Also gives sharp tchik contact notes and harsher chattering alarms when disturbed.
