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Subspecies T. s. nigropileus : adult males
Photo by Alok Tewari
Savitri River, Mahabaleshwar, Western Ghats, altitude 4710 feet, District Satara, Maharashtra, India, 29 December 2024
Photo by Alok Tewari
Savitri River, Mahabaleshwar, Western Ghats, altitude 4710 feet, District Satara, Maharashtra, India, 29 December 2024
- Turdus simillimus
Identification
A variable species:
- Grey plumage (black in south and Sri Lanka) with blackish cap
- Yellow to orange orbital skin and postorbital patch
- Yellow to orange bill and legs
Females are duller and browner
Distribution
Endemic to central and southern India and Sri Lanka
Taxonomy
Formerly regarded conspecific with Eurasian Blackbird.
Subspecies
Four subspecies are recognized[1].
- T. s. simillimus in southwest India (Karnataka and western Tamil Nadu
- T. s. bourdilloni in Kerala
- T. s. nigropileus western, central, and southeastern India (mainly in the northern Western Ghats, Satpuras, and Eastern Ghats)
- T. s. kinnisii in Sri Lanka
Subspecies spencei is no longer considered valid
Habitat
Moist deciduous and evergreen forest, sholas, dense scrub jungle and wooded ravines. In winter also in wooded gardens and plantations.
Behaviour
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Rasmussen, PC and JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334672
- Avibase
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Indian Blackbird. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 13 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Indian_Blackbird
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1