The Mindanao island thrush, also known as the Negros island thrush, is a species of passerine in the family Turdidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found in the tropical moist montane forests of Negros and Mindanao. Prior to 2024, it was four separate subspecies of Island thrush, before the Island thrush was split into 17 species by the IOC and Clements checklist.
Region
Philippines (Negros and Mindanao)
Typical Environment
Occurs in tropical montane and mossy forests, favoring dense, humid understories with abundant leaf litter. It uses ridgelines, forest edges, and gaps but remains closely tied to intact canopy cover. Birds often descend to trails and stream-sides to feed among damp substrates. It can persist in selectively logged forest if sufficient understory and litter remain, but it avoids open or heavily degraded sites.
Altitude Range
900–2900 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This recently recognized species is part of the former Island Thrush complex that was split by major checklists in 2024. It inhabits high-elevation mossy forests where it forages quietly on the ground and lower understory. Like many thrushes, it helps control insect populations and disperses seeds of montane plants. It is typically shy and can be difficult to observe away from trails and forest edges.
A specimen of the nigorum subspecies from the Naturalis Biodiversity Center
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually encountered singly or in pairs, sometimes in loose family groups after breeding. Nests are cup-shaped and placed low in shrubs or small trees, often lined with moss. Pairs are likely monogamous, with both adults feeding the young. Territorial singing occurs at first light from concealed perches.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A soft series of fluted, mellow whistles interspersed with thin, high seeps. Song carries poorly through dense vegetation, and calls are typically given from shaded midstory perches.
Plumage
Generally dark, sooty-brown to chocolate-brown upperparts with slightly paler, warm-brown underparts; plumage can vary subtly by island and elevation. Underparts are fairly uniform with minimal spotting compared to many temperate thrushes. Feathers have a soft, matte texture suited to humid montane habitats.
Diet
Feeds on ground-dwelling insects, beetles, and other arthropods gleaned from leaf litter. Also takes earthworms and small snails when soils are moist. Fruits and berries from understory shrubs are eaten seasonally, especially when invertebrates are scarce.
Preferred Environment
Forages on forest floors, along shaded trails, and near streams where leaf litter accumulates. Will move into canopy gaps and forest edges to take fruit, but retreats quickly to dense cover.
