Olive Thrush juveniles have spotted breasts and slight orangy edges to the wing coverts, in contrast to the plain breast and uniform dark upperparts of adults.
On Sunday I ringed 6 young Olive Thrushesof widely varying ages (nestlings and juveniles, at a rehab centre). This increased my sample size of young thrushes enough to combine the wing and tail measurements with young and adult birds caught previously. The wing and tail seem to grow at the same rate, and juveniles reach adult size before they undergo their post juvenile moult into adult plumage.
Juvenile Olive Thrush below:
Adult Olive Thrush below:
Fact sheet:
Number ringed to date (SAFRING): 2307 [1948-2024]
Longevity: 16y 0m 28d [pre-split]
Trip report: n/a
Reason special: many juveniles ringed
