- Turdus plumbeus
Identification
Location: Santiago, Dominican Republic
Description
Generally has slate gray upperparts, red legs and bill, red eye-ring, and white corners of the tail. Underside is variable with some subspecies showing reddish-brown abdomen, others showing white, and others again showing gray. Throat is also variable, black, gray or white with black stripes; there seems to always be some white somewhere around the throat or chin. At least in Dominica, white outer tail feathers are visible in flight (not mentioned in Field Guides).
Distribution and Taxonomy
This bird has a disjunct distribution with one population in Dominica (Lesser Antilles) and another in the Greater Antilles including Northern Bahamas, Cuba, Cayman Brac, Hispanola, and Puerto Rico. In total, there are six subspecies, with some destinct differences in plumage. It would seem prudent to do more research on the taxonomic status of these taxons.
Habitat
In e.g., Puerto Rico seems to prefer the higher elevation, wetter forests, while on e.g., Dominica it likes the lower elevation drier scrub-forest.
