Chinese blackbird explained

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.^[1] 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.^[2] It is a large subspecies.^[3]
• Sowerby's blackbird (T. m. sowerbyi), named for James Sowerby, British naturalist 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.^[3]

Social Behavior

It is typically monogamous, but some exceptions have been observed.^[4]

Diet

It is omnivorous.^[5] During the breeding season, it primarily feeds on earthworms.

Notes and References

1. MacKinnon, J., & Phillipps, K. (2000). A Field Guide to the Birds of China. Oxford University Press. Oxford.
2. Book: Robson, Craig . A Field Guide to the Birds of Thailand . 2004 . New Holland Press . 1-84330-921-1. p228
3. Collar, 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.
4. Zhang, Xueli, et al. "Extra‐pair paternity enhances the reproductive fitness of urban Chinese blackbird." Journal of Avian Biology (2024): e03129.
5. CHAMBERLAIN . DAN E. . HATCHWELL . B.J. . PERRINS . C.M. . July 1999 . Importance of feeding ecology to the reproductive success of Blackbirds Turdus merula nesting in rural habitats . Ibis . 141 . 3 . 415–427 . 10.1111/j.1474-919x.1999.tb04410.x . 0019-1019.