The Nilgiri thrush is a member of the thrush family.
Region
Western Ghats (South India)
Typical Environment
Found patchily in mature evergreen and montane shola forests of the Nilgiri, Anaimalai, and adjacent high ranges. Prefers dense, moist understorey with deep leaf litter, often near streams and in shaded gullies. Uses forest interior and avoids open edges, relying on cover for protection. Occasionally descends locally after rains but is largely tied to intact highland forest.
Altitude Range
900–2400 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The Nilgiri thrush is a member of the thrush family, endemic to the shola and evergreen forests of the Western Ghats in southern India. It was long treated within the Scaly Thrush complex but is now widely recognized as a distinct species. Its bold scalloped pattern provides superb camouflage among leaf litter where it forages. Habitat loss and forest fragmentation are its primary threats.
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats through forest understorey
Social Behavior
Mostly solitary or in pairs, keeping to dense cover and the forest floor. Nests are cup-shaped and placed on ledges or forks, built from moss and leaves. Breeding likely coincides with the pre-monsoon to monsoon period in the highlands.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A clear, fluty series of mellow whistles, often delivered from concealed perches at dawn and dusk. Phrases are repeated with pauses and carry well through dense forest. Calls include thin, high seeps and soft ticking notes.
Plumage
Heavily scalloped or scaled appearance with buff to warm-brown ground color overlaid by dark crescent markings on the back, breast, and flanks.
Diet
Feeds mainly on leaf-litter invertebrates such as beetles, ants, cockroaches, snails, and earthworms. Will also take small insects from low vegetation. Supplements its diet with berries and other small fruits when available.
Preferred Environment
Forages quietly on the shaded forest floor, flipping leaves and probing soft soil in damp gullies and along stream edges. Favors undisturbed interior forest with thick ground cover and mossy logs.
