Birdfinding.info ⇒ Generally easy to find in its small range. Can be found at all of the frequently visited sites on Grand Bahama, Abaco, and Andros.
Northern Red-legged Thrush
Turdus plumbeus
Endemic to the northern Bahamas: Grand Bahama, Abaco, Andros, New Providence, Eleuthera, Cat Island, and adjacent cays, where it is widespread and common in most wooded habitats, including settled areas.
There are a handful of records from the eastern coast of Florida, all between March and May: 1960, 2010, and 2019.
Identification
Slaty-gray overall, with black accents on the wings. White chin contrasts with otherwise black throat.
Legs and eyering are bright red. The bill is blackish with a reddish tint.
The uppertail is mostly black, showing white outer corners when spread. The undertail is black near the vent with extensively white tips.
Northern Red-legged Thrush. (Lofty Fig Villas, Central Abaco, Bahamas; January 11, 2013.) © Christoph Moning
Northern Red-legged Thrush, dorsal view. (Garden of the Groves, Grand Bahama; August 9, 2016.) © Erika Gates
Northern Red-legged Thrush, showing white patch on outer tail feathers. (Treasure Cay, Abaco, Bahamas; January 11, 2018.) © Becky Marvil
Northern Red-legged Thrush. (Freeport, Grand Bahama; March 3, 2018.) © Christopher Johnson
Northern Red-legged Thrush, juvenile. (Uncle Charlie’s Blue Hole, North Andros, Bahamas; August 15, 2013.) © David Hollie
Northern Red-legged Thrush. (Lantana Nature Preserve, Lantana, Florida; April 25, 2019.) © Mitchell Harris
Northern Red-legged Thrush. (Freeport, Grand Bahama; December 27, 2017.) © Erika Gates
Northern Red-legged Thrush, showing mostly white undertail. (Old Freetown Farm, Grand Bahama; May 23, 2018.) © Erika Gates
Northern Red-legged Thrush. (Grand Bahama; April 22, 2007.) © Tom Benson
Northern Red-legged Thrush. (Freeport, Grand Bahama; March 3, 2018.) © Christopher Johnson
Notes
Monotypic species.
Traditionally considered conspecific with Western and Eastern Red-legged Thrushes, collectively the Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus).
References
eBird. 2019. eBird: An online database of bird distribution and abundance. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, N.Y. http://www.ebird.org. (Accessed May 1, 2019.)
Howell, S.N.G., I. Lewington, and W. Russell. 2014. Rare Birds of North America. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.
Larsen, N. 2011. Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus), version 1.0. In Neotropical Birds Online (T.S. Schulenberg, ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. https://doi.org/10.2173/nb.relthr1.01.
Raffaele, H., J. Wiley, O. Garrido, A. Keith, and J. Raffaele. 1998. A Guide to the Birds of the West Indies. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.