Lord Howe thrush

Short description: Extinct subspecies of bird

Turdus poliocephalus vinitinctus

By John Gould

Conservation status

Extinct (EPBC Act)[1]

Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Chordata
Class:  | Aves
Order:  | Passeriformes
Family:  | Turdidae
Genus:  | Turdus
Species:  |

T. poliocephalus

Subspecies:  |

†T. p. vinitinctus

Trinomial name
Turdus poliocephalus vinitinctus

(Gould, 1855)

Synonyms

* Turdus xanthopus vinitinctus

The Lord Howe thrush (Turdus poliocephalus vinitinctus), also known as the vinous-tinted thrush or vinous-tinted blackbird, is an extinct subspecies of the island thrush (Turdus poliocephalus). It was endemic to Lord Howe Island, an Australian island in the Tasman Sea, where it was also called the doctor bird or ouzel by the islanders.

By Henrik Gronvold

It had a length of 22.9 cm. The head was olive-brown. The upperparts were chestnut-brown. Wings and tail were dark brown. Throat and chin were dull brown with an olive tinge. The underparts were chestnut-coloured with a lavender tinge.

It was quite common in 1906 but its population began to diminish in 1913 due to disturbance by man, feral dogs, feral cats, feral pigs and feral goats. When the SS Makambo was shipwrecked on Lord Howe in June 1918, black rats escaped from the vessel and quickly overran the island. With other endemic birds, this ground-nesting bird became extinct within six years.

Museum specimens are on display in Leiden (Netherlands), Tring (United Kingdom), Berlin, New York, Washington and Sydney.

## References

1. ↑ Turdus poliocephalus vinitinctus — Vinous-tinted Thrush, Species Profile and Threats Database, Department of the Environment and Heritage, Australia.

## External links

* The Lord Howe island thrush in the Naturalis Museum, Leiden
* The Lord Howe thrush (Turdus poliocephalus vinitinctus) was an extinct island thrush endemic to Lord Howe Island. Background on its history and extinction, Aussie Animals.

Wikidata ☰ Q1869867 entry

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*[†]: Extinct