Birdfinding.info ⇒  Generally easy to find in its small range.  Can be found at all of the frequently visited sites on Grand Bahama, Abaco, and Andros.

Northern Red-legged Thrush

Turdus plumbeus

Endemic to the northern Bahamas: Grand Bahama, Abaco, Andros, New Providence, Eleuthera, Cat Island, and adjacent cays, where it is widespread and common in most wooded habitats, including settled areas.

There are a handful of records from the eastern coast of Florida, all between March and May: 1960, 2010, and 2019.

Identification

Slaty-gray overall, with black accents on the wings.  White chin contrasts with otherwise black throat.

Legs and eyering are bright red.  The bill is blackish with a reddish tint.

The uppertail is mostly black, showing white outer corners when spread.  The undertail is black near the vent with extensively white tips.

Northern Red-legged Thrush.  (Lofty Fig Villas, Central Abaco, Bahamas; January 11, 2013.)  © Christoph Moning

Northern Red-legged Thrush, dorsal view.  (Garden of the Groves, Grand Bahama; August 9, 2016.)  © Erika Gates

Northern Red-legged Thrush, showing white patch on outer tail feathers.  (Treasure Cay, Abaco, Bahamas; January 11, 2018.)  © Becky Marvil

Northern Red-legged Thrush.  (Freeport, Grand Bahama; March 3, 2018.)  © Christopher Johnson

Northern Red-legged Thrush, juvenile.  (Uncle Charlie’s Blue Hole, North Andros, Bahamas; August 15, 2013.)  © David Hollie

Northern Red-legged Thrush.  (Lantana Nature Preserve, Lantana, Florida; April 25, 2019.)  © Mitchell Harris

Northern Red-legged Thrush.  (Freeport, Grand Bahama; December 27, 2017.)  © Erika Gates

Northern Red-legged Thrush, showing mostly white undertail.  (Old Freetown Farm, Grand Bahama; May 23, 2018.)  © Erika Gates

Northern Red-legged Thrush.  (Grand Bahama; April 22, 2007.)  © Tom Benson

Northern Red-legged Thrush.  (Freeport, Grand Bahama; March 3, 2018.)  © Christopher Johnson

Voice.  Song is an unhurried series of notes with a musical quality, lacking an obvious pattern:

Notes

Monotypic species.

Traditionally considered conspecific with Western and Eastern Red-legged Thrushes, collectively the Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus).

References

eBird. 2019. eBird: An online database of bird distribution and abundance. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, N.Y. http://www.ebird.org. (Accessed May 1, 2019.)

Howell, S.N.G., I. Lewington, and W. Russell. 2014. Rare Birds of North America. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.

Larsen, N. 2011. Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus), version 1.0. In Neotropical Birds Online (T.S. Schulenberg, ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. https://doi.org/10.2173/nb.relthr1.01.

Raffaele, H., J. Wiley, O. Garrido, A. Keith, and J. Raffaele. 1998. A Guide to the Birds of the West Indies. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.