# Red-legged Thrush

Scientific name: Turdus plumbeus

Bird group: [thrush](https://birdsofpuertorico.com/family/thrush)

Canonical source: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/bird/236/Red-legged-Thrush

## Identification

The red-legged thrush (Turdus plumbeus) is a species of bird in the family Turdidae. Native to the Caribbean, it is found in the Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic and Haiti) and Puerto Rico. It formerly occurred on the Swan Islands, Honduras, but was extirpated there. 
This large thrush measures 27 cm (11 in) and weighs approximately 75 g (2.6 oz), depending on subspecies. It is mainly bluish-grey above and lighter-grey below with a white and black throat with a striped appearance. The legs, bill and eye ring are bright orange-red. There is notable variation in plumage between the subspecies.


## Distribution and habitat

The Red-legged Thrush is a year-round resident throughout 
the Greater Antilles (except 
Jamaica), The Bahamas (Oberle 
2018, Raffaele and others 1998), 
the Cayman Islands (Raffaele 
and others 1998), and Dominica 
(Oberle 2018, Raffaele and 
others 1998). In Puerto Rico, 
it is common and widespread 
on the main island (Oberle 
2018, Raffaele 1989a) and a rare 
visitor on the island of Vieques 
(Gemmill 2015). This species 
inhabits woodlands and forests 
at all elevations (Raffaele and 
others 1998), as well as coffee plantations (Oberle 2018, 
Raffaele and others 1998) and 
gardens (Oberle 2018, Raffaele 
and others 1998). The atlas 
fieldwork yielded a total of 520 
records within 303 hexagons 
or 63 percent of the 479 total 
hexagons (see map). Of the 303 
hexagons where this species 
was found, breeding was 
confirmed in 10 percent (31) 
of the hexagons, probable in 
14 percent (42), and possible 
in 76 percent (229), while the 
species was also observed in an 
additional hexagon (<1 percent) 
but without evidence of breeding 
(see map). Red-legged Thrush distribution. The map shows the highest breeding code by hexagon and overlaying the ecological life zones in 
Puerto Rico. Note: percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.      227Red-legged Thrush/Zorzal Patirrojo

## Breeding

The Red-legged Thrush builds a bulky nest made of leaves, 
grass, and other material, 
usually placed up in a tree, 
but sometimes in a palm or on 
a stump (Raffaele and others 
1998). Previously published 
reports indicate that it breeds 
from January to September, 
but breeding peaks from April 
to July (Raffaele and others 
1998). Atlas results show that 
this species breeding season 
extends throughout the year, 
with the most breeding activity 
from March to June (see chart). 
Overall, the breeding activity 
peaks in April, and it mostly takes place in the subtropical 
moist forest life zone (see 
chart). Results show that this 
species breeds mostly within 
the subtropical moist forest 
life zone (63 percent of the 
hexagons) (see table and map), 
to a lesser extent in subtropical 
wet forest life zones (23 percent 
of the hexagons), and within 
subtropical dry and subtropical 
rain forest life zones as well (14 
and <1 percent of the hexagons, 
respectively) (see table 
and map).

## Conservation

The global population size of the Red-legged Thrush has not been quantified. However, 
the population is suspected 
to be stable due to the lack of 
evidence for any declines and 
threats (BirdLife International 
2016). It is currently listed as a 
species of least concern by the 
IUCN (BirdLife International 
2016). Locally, this species is not 
listed in any of the threatened 
categories of PRDNER and 
USFWS. In Puerto Rico, the Red-
legged Thrush has a protected 
habitat of 13 percent or 967 km2 of the total area covered by the 
hexagons where this species is 
known to breed (7222 km2).

Photo: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_236_Im0.png.webp

Distribution map: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_236_Im1.png.webp

Source note: Text is reproduced from this site's published record. Historical conservation statements and taxonomy have not been independently revalidated. See https://birdsofpuertorico.com/about for source credits and limitations.