The red-throated thrush (Turdus ruficollis) is a passerine bird in the thrush family. It is sometimes regarded as one subspecies of a polytypic species, "dark-throated thrush", black-throated thrush then being the other subspecies.[1] More recent treatments regard the two as separate species.[2] The scientific name comes from Latin. Turdus is "thrush" and the specific ruficollis is derived from rufus', "red", and collum, "neck".[3]
The red-throated thrush is a migratory Palearctic species. It breeds in East Siberia to North Manchuria wintering to West China, Myanmar, and Northeast India. Its range overlaps with the more westerly-breeding black-throated thrush. It is a large thrush with a plain grey back and reddish underwings.[4] The adult male has a red throat. Females and young birds lack the bib, but have black-streaked underparts. This bird species is a very rare vagrant to western Europe.[1]