Chinese Blackbird

Chinese Blackbird (Turdus mandarinus) is a large thrush closely resembling the common blackbird; males are black with a bright bill while females are dark brown. Body shape, bill structure, plumage pattern and voice provide the strongest field characters. Age, sex and season may alter its appearance, so identification should combine several features and careful direct field comparisons with similar species in the same habitat (Wikipedia, general species account).

It inhabits woodland, parks, gardens and farmland in China and neighbouring areas, foraging on lawns and leaf litter for worms and insects and also taking berries and fruit. Its movements and social behaviour vary through the year, with breeding birds generally more dispersed and non-breeding birds gathering where food is concentrated. Japanese records place it within the country's documented avifauna as a resident, migrant or visitor (Wikipedia, general species account; Wildlife of Japan occurrence records).