Wildlifeof China
White-backed Thrush
Thrushes, Chats & Flycatchers
Photo: Tom Heijnen · CC BY 4.0 (May be cropped or resized)
Turdus kessleri
China Red List: Least Concern (LC)
Basic stats
Habitat
Alpine scrub on rocky sites, 3,600–4,500 m; descends to 2,100 m in winter
Range
Central China (Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, eastern Tibet, north-western Yunnan); scarce winter visitor to Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and eastern Nepal
Size
28 cm
The white-backed or Kessler's thrush (Turdus kessleri) is primarily resident or a short-distance altitudinal migrant, found in central China in Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, eastern Tibet and north-western Yunnan, and a scarce winter visitor in Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and eastern Nepal. It breeds in alpine scrub on rocky sites at 3,600–4,500 m and descends to about 2,100 m, rarely 1,500 m, in winter. (Wikipedia, general species account)
It is a large thrush, 28 cm long, the same size as a mistle thrush. The male has a black head, wings and tail and a pink body, darker pink below and pale pink to nearly white on the mantle. (Wikipedia, general species account)
Quick answers
- What habitat does the White-backed Thrush live in?
- Alpine scrub on rocky sites, 3,600–4,500 m; descends to 2,100 m in winter
- Where is the White-backed Thrush found?
- Central China (Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, eastern Tibet, north-western Yunnan); scarce winter visitor to Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and eastern Nepal
- How big is the White-backed Thrush?
- 28 cm