The Chinese blackbird (Turdus mandarinus) is a member of the
thrush family Turdidae. It was formerly considered conspecific with the related
common blackbird (T. merula).
Subspecies
The Chinese blackbird (T. m. mandarinus) breeds throughout much of southern, central and eastern China.[2] It is a partial migrant to
Hong Kong and south to
Laos and
Vietnam. The male is sooty black, and the female is similar but browner, and paler on the underparts.[3] It is a large subspecies.[4]
Sowerby's blackbird (T. m. sowerbyi), named for
James Sowerby,
Britishnaturalist and illustrator, breeds from eastern
Sichuan to
Guizhou. It is partially migratory, with some individuals spending the winter in southern China and northern
Indochina. It resembles mandarinus, but is smaller and darker below.[4]
^MacKinnon, J., & Phillipps, K. (2000). A Field Guide to the Birds of China. Oxford University Press. Oxford.
ISBN0-19-854940-7
^Robson, Craig (2004). A Field Guide to the Birds of Thailand. New Holland Press.
ISBN1-84330-921-1. p228
^
abCollar, N. J. (2005). Common Blackbird (Turdus merula). p. 645 in: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., & Christie, D. A. eds. (2005) Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 10. Cuckoo-shrikes to Thrushes. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.
ISBN84-87334-72-5