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Writer's pictureJohn Nat Arifin

Whistling-Thrushes in Borneo, India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Sumatra & Thailand| Birding in Asia

Whistling-Thrushes in Borneo, India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Sumatra & Thailand| Birding in Asia

I have photographed  Whistling Thrushes in India Thailand & Sri Lanka. When I first posted the story in the discussion group, I did not expect for it to expand into a larger geographical region. But it did. Thanks to Liew WK and Weefar Wee who have contributed their images on the endemic whistling-thrushes from different regions in Asia. Now it seems that two more whistling thrushes (Javan Whistling-thrush and Taiwan Whistling-thrush) will complete the list.

Blue Whistling-thrush

Let’s start from Blue Whistling-thrush common in many areas. However, whistling-thrushes could also be endemic to the specific locations such as the Sri Lanka Whistling-thrush and the Malabar Whistling-thrush.The Blue Whistling-thrush can be found in Peninsular Malaysia ,Southern and Northern Thailand including northern India. Common resident and winter visitor from lowland to high elevation.

Blue Whistling-thrush

Blue Whistling-thrush ( Myiophoneous caeruleus )-South Thailand


The same species is also found in Northern Thailand near Doi Inthanon

Blue Whistling-thrush ( Myiophoneous caeruleus ) North Thailand @ Doi Inthanon National Park.

In the island of Sri Lanka, I found the Ceylon Whistling-thrush  Myophonus blight (20 cm). It is an endemic and endangered species only found between 1000-2000 m near Nuwara Eliya. You must go there early to photograph this bird before 9:00 am.

ceylon-whistling-thrush-2493

Ceylon or Sri Lanka Whistling-thrush, endemic and endangered.


Finally, one of the most commonly seen in southern India is the Malabar Whistling-thrush Myophonus horsfieldii (25 cm) in the Western Ghats. When it whistles in the early morning or late afternoon, it is so melodious with very rich tunes. I photographed this bird in Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka ,India.

Malabar Whistling-thrush

Malabar Whistling thrush Myophonus horsfieldii

Through the group discussion in Facebook, Liew WK had contributed two valuable images to the topic of Whistling-thrush in Asia from the island of Borneo and peninsular Malaysia.

Here is a Bornean Whistling-thrush  endemic to Borneo. Myophonus borneensis, 25 cm. Common in hills and montain forest in the vicinity of rocky cliffs and rocky streams. Photo by Liew WK.

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Bornean Whistling-thrush by Liew WK


The Whistling-thrush below is the Malaysian Whistling-thrushMyophonus robinson, from the peninsular Malaysia. Photo curtesy of Liew WK. Found at small streams in closed canopy forest especially in deep gullies between 760-1770m above sea leavel.

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Malaysian Whistling-Thrush, by Liew WK


From the same group discussion in Facebook, Weefar Wee chipped-in two valuable images on the Shiny Whistling-thrush and Brown-winged Whisling-thrush (also known as Sumatra Whistling-thrush ) from the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. Here they are :

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Shiny Whistling-thrush ,Myophonus melanurus, endemic Sumatra,Indonesia by Weefar Wee


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Brown-winged Whistling-Thrush or Sumatran Whistling-thrush, Myophonus castaneus, from Sumatra Indonesia by Weefar Wee.


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