Blue Whistling-Thrush

The blue whistling thrush is the largest species in the Old World flycatcher family, 29–35cm long and 136–231g across subspecies. It is dark violet-blue with shiny pale blue to white spangling on the tips of the body feathers, and is known for its loud, human-like whistling song at dawn and dusk. Widely distributed populations vary in size and plumage, with six subspecies accepted. In northern China males and females average 188g and 171g respectively (Wikipedia, general species account).

Like others in the genus it feeds on the ground, often along streams and in damp places, foraging for snails, crabs, insects and fruit. In the Beijing area it is a summer visitor, migrating away in winter. The usual clutch is three or four eggs, and the pair sometimes raises a second brood (Wikipedia, general species account).