The long-billed thrush is a species of bird in the family Turdidae. It is found from the Himalayas to Myanmar and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.
Region
Himalayas and northern Indochina
Typical Environment
Occurs from the Himalayan foothills of Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bhutan east through northern Myanmar, southwest China, Laos, and Vietnam. It inhabits moist evergreen and mixed broadleaf forests, often in narrow, shaded ravines and along streams. Dense bamboo, ferns, and thick leaf litter are typical features of its sites. It keeps close to the forest floor and favors undisturbed tracts with deep cover.
Altitude Range
900–3200 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A shy, ground-foraging thrush of steep, shaded ravines, the long-billed thrush uses its notably long bill to probe leaf litter and soil for prey. It ranges from the Himalayas through northern Indochina, favoring moist montane forests with dense understory. Often detected by its rich, mellow song rather than by sight, it typically freezes or slips away silently when disturbed.
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between low perches
Social Behavior
Primarily solitary or found in pairs during the breeding season. Nests are typically placed on banks, ledges, or in sheltered cavities with moss and rootlets. Clutches usually contain 2–4 eggs, and adults keep to dense cover when nesting.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
A rich, fluty series of mellow phrases delivered from a concealed perch, often at dawn. Calls include thin, high seep notes and soft chucks given when alarmed.
Plumage
Dark olive- to rufous-brown above with warm tones on the face; underparts buffy to whitish with heavy blackish scalloping and scaling. Wings and tail are darker brown; overall appearance is strongly patterned below with a long-bodied, long-billed silhouette.
Diet
Feeds mainly on insects, earthworms, beetles, snails, and other invertebrates gleaned from leaf litter and soil. Will also take berries and small fruits, especially when invertebrate prey is less abundant. Uses its long bill to probe among wet leaves and along stream edges.
Preferred Environment
Forages on the shaded forest floor of moist montane woods, especially in ravines, gullies, and along streams. Frequently works in dense understory and bamboo thickets where cover is abundant.
