Turdidae

Thrushes are a family of passerine birds called Turdidae, found around the world. This family used to be larger but has been reclassified. Now, the chats and European robins belong to a different group called Old World flycatchers. Thrushes are small to medium-sized birds that often live on the ground and eat insects, other small creatures, and fruit. Some unrelated birds are named after thrushes because they look similar.

Thrushes have a plump body and soft plumage. They live in wooded areas and often forage on the ground. The smallest thrush is the shortwing, which is between thrushes and Old World flycatchers. The lesser shortwing is about 12 cm (4.5 inches) long. The largest thrush is the great thrush, weighing between 128 to 175 g (4.5 to 6.1 oz) and measuring 28 to 33 cm (11 to 13 inches). The blue whistling thrush is larger but belongs to another family. The Amami thrush may be even bigger than the great thrush. Most thrushes are grey or brown, often with speckled underparts.

While thrushes mainly eat insects, they also consume worms, land snails, and fruit, particularly berries. Some species stay in warm climates year-round, while others migrate north for the summer over long distances.

Thrushes build cup-shaped nests, sometimes using mud for lining. They typically lay two to five speckled eggs and can have two or more broods each year. Both parents take care of the young. Usually, nests are placed on branches, except for the three species of bluebirds, which nest in holes.

Turdidae birds play a significant role in spreading plant seeds, helping to restore ecosystems. Plants cannot move their seeds far on their own, so they depend on animals for this job. Birds and bats that eat fruit, such as those in the Turdidae family, swallow seeds and later regurgitate or excrete them. This process, called ornithochory, helps seeds move across distances, including oceans.

Some seeds stick to birds’ feet or feathers, allowing them to travel far. Other plants, like grasses and mollusks, sometimes establish in new areas this way. The Turdidae family is ecologically important because their migration helps spread seeds of endangered plants, promoting genetic diversity among local plant species.