The Sri Lanka whistling thrush is a whistling thrush in the family Muscicapidae. It is a resident endemic bird in Sri Lanka.
Region
Sri Lanka Central Highlands
Typical Environment
Occurs in dense montane and submontane evergreen forests, closely tied to shaded, fast-flowing streams and rocky ravines. It favors mossy banks, splash zones, and boulder beds under closed canopy. Birds may forage along overgrown culverts and streams bordering tea estates if sufficient cover remains. Nests and roosts are typically placed very near running water, and the species avoids open, heavily disturbed forest edges.
Altitude Range
600–2200 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
An elusive streamside specialist of Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands, the Sri Lanka whistling thrush is most often detected by its rich whistled song at dawn. It keeps to dark, mossy ravines and boulder-strewn streams, rarely venturing into open areas. Habitat loss and disturbance to headwater forests and streams are its main threats.
A Sri Lanka whistling-thrush photographed at night
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low over streams
Social Behavior
Usually solitary or in pairs and strongly territorial along short stream stretches. Nests are cup-shaped, built of moss and roots on ledges, banks, or in crevices close to flowing water. Breeding is concentrated in the wetter months when stream flow is reliable.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Delivers clear, rich, fluty whistles, often from concealed perches at dawn and dusk. Phrases are mellow and far-carrying, interspersed with pauses. Alarm notes include thin tseep calls and harsher chacks near the nest.
Plumage
Male is glossy blackish with deep cobalt-blue on the shoulder and a bluish eyebrow; female is warm brown with a rufous wash and a reduced, duller bluish shoulder patch. Both sexes have a compact, dark bill and dusky legs, with subtle mottling on the female’s breast.
Diet
Feeds primarily on aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates such as beetles, crickets, caterpillars, and larvae. Also takes snails, crabs, and occasionally small frogs or geckos. Forages by hopping along stream margins, flipping leaf litter, and probing under stones, sometimes wading in shallow pools. Larger prey may be beaten against rocks before swallowing.
Preferred Environment
Forages along shaded, fast-flowing montane streams with abundant rocks, logs, and mossy banks. Prefers dense understorey cover and uses boulders and fallen logs as watch-posts. Rarely enters open areas, though it may work along vegetated culverts in adjacent plantations.
