The Maranon thrushAviList Core Team. 2025. AviList: The Global Avian Checklist, v2025. https://doi.org/10.2173/avilist.v2025 retrieved June 11, 2025 (Turdus maranonicus) is a species of bird in the family Turdidae. It is found in Ecuador and Peru.Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, D. F. Lane, L, N. Naka, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 29 November 2025. Species Lists of Birds for South American Countries and Territories. South American Classification Committee associated with the International Ornithologists' Union. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCCountryLists.htm retrieved 30 November 2025
Taxonomy and systematics
The Maranon thrush was originally described in 1880 with the binomial Turdus maranonicus and has retained it since then. It is monotypic.
Description
The Maranon thrush is long. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have a mostly rich brown head with a brown-streaked whitish throat. Their upperparts, wings, and tail are the same rich brown as the head. Their underparts are dull white with a brown scaly and spotted pattern on their breast and flanks.Collar, N. (2020). Marañon Thrush (Turdus maranonicus), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.marthr2.01 retrieved February 22, 2026 They have a dark iris, a grayish bill, and grayish legs and feet. Juveniles resemble adults with orange-buff spots and streaks on the upperparts and two spotted orange wing bars.
Distribution and habitat
The Maranon thrush is found in the upper and middle basins of the Marañón River from extreme southern Ecuador into northern Peru to Huánuco Department. It primarily inhabits rather dry landscapes including dry forest and secondary forest, riparian forest, scrublands, and gardens. It also occurs at the edges of more humid forest and woodland. In elevation it ranges between in Ecuador and between in Peru.
Behavior Movement
The Maranon thrush is a year-round resident.
Feeding
The Maranon thrush's diet is not known. It forages mostly on the ground, often in very open areas like plowed fields and grassy areas.
Breeding
Nothing is known about the Maranon thrush's breeding biology.
Vocalization
The Maranon thrush's song is "a slow caroling similar to that of other Turdus, particularly [the] Black-billed Thrush, but does not seem to repeat phrases as does [the] Black-billed". Its calls are "a rising rzeet rzeet, a ringing tseet, and a mello wurk".
Status
The IUCN has assessed the Maranon thrush as being of Least Concern. It has a restricted range; its population size is not known and is believed to be decreasing. No immediate threats have been identified. It is considered "relatively numerous" in Ecuador and "fairly common" in Peru. It occurs in Ecuador's Podocarpus National Park.
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