The Amami Thrush, Zoothera major, is a member of the Thrush family Turdidae. It is endemic to the islands of Amami ?shima and Kakeromajima in the northern Nansei Islands of Japan.

This large (30cm), heavily patterned thrush is similar in appearance to the White's Thrush. It has warm olive-brown to buff upperparts and whitish underparts with heavy black scaling. It has twelve tail feathers. The White's Thrush is smaller and has fourteen tail feathers. It has a cheerful song similar to the Siberian Thrush.

Its breeding habitat is mature subtropical broadleaved evergreen forest around humid valleys. Its diet includes invertebrates and fruit. It breeds in May and June, laying 3-4 eggs.

This bird is critically endangered due to forest clearance. The current population is estimated at less than sixty. Areas of forest have been protected by the government primarily for the conservation of this species and the Lidth's Jay.

The breeding population is estimated by Amami Ornithologists' Club (NPO, Japan) all over the island every late March since 1999. The total number of singing birds, which may be territory holders, counted were more than 162 in 2006.

Taxonomic note

Since 2006 this taxon is no longer recognised by BirdLife International. It has been lumped into Zoothera dauma following Collar (2004). As a subspecies its conservation status is no longer classified.

External links

• BirdLife Species Factsheet