Animal field guide
Orange-headed Thrush
Geokichla citrina
A ground thrush of forest floors from the Himalayan foothills and southern China to Indonesia, far more often heard than seen. From a hidden perch in the lower branches the male delivers a rich, varied song of whistled phrases, and males have been reported to include imitations of other birds.
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Animal · South Asia · Damp · Relatively common
Known for: Bright orange head and underparts, Blue-grey back, White patch or bar on the wing in most races, Some races show a white face with two dark vertical
Animal field guide
Orange-headed Thrush
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A ground thrush of forest floors from the Himalayan foothills and southern China to Indonesia, far more often heard than seen. From a hidden perch in the lower branches the male delivers a rich, varied song of whistled phrases, and males have been reported to include imitations of other birds.
Native range
Natural range, not this capture location
Damp, shady broadleaf and evergreen forest with dense undergrowth, bamboo thickets and ravines near streams, from lowlands into hills. In some areas it also uses overgrown gardens, plantations and well-wooded parks.
Search near meAnimalDex stats
Dominance
16
Speed
49
Size
13
Intelligence
29
Rarity
41%
Total
148
Size scale
STEP 2 · PROVE IT
STEP 3 · BATTLE & FUSE
Understand the animal
Understand the Orange-headed Thrush
Factual biology first: what this animal is like, where it lives, how it survives, and why those traits exist.
01
Introduction to Orange-headed Thrush
A ground thrush of forest floors from the Himalayan foothills and southern China to Indonesia, far more often heard than seen. From a hidden perch in the lower branches the male delivers a rich, varied song of whistled phrases, and males have been reported to include imitations of other birds.
How to identify a Orange-headed Thrush
- Bright orange head and underparts
- Blue-grey back, wings and tail in the male
- White patch or bar on the wing in most races
- Some races show a white face with two dark vertical bars
- Dark eye and dark bill on a plump thrush shape
Why Orange-headed Thrush are interesting
- Northern breeding populations move south for winter, while those in the tropics stay year-round.
- It was long placed in the genus Zoothera before being moved to Geokichla.
- Around a dozen races are recognised, differing mainly in face pattern and depth of orange.
- Juveniles are dull and mottled, with brown and buff spotting in place of the adult's clean orange.
02
Adaptations and biological abilities
03
Why does Orange-headed Thrush behave this way?
- Bright orange head and underparts
- Blue-grey back, wings and tail in the male
- White patch or bar on the wing in most races
- Some races show a white face with two dark vertical bars
- Dark eye and dark bill on a plump thrush shape
Active by day, with most foraging in the dim light of early morning and late afternoon. It roosts at night on a perch in dense bushes or the lower branches of trees.
04
Why Damp?
Habitat: Damp, shady broadleaf and evergreen forest with dense undergrowth, bamboo thickets and ravines near streams, from lowlands into hills. In some areas it also uses overgrown gardens, plantations and well-wooded parks.
Native range: South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia
Native range
Natural range, not this specific capture location.
Damp, shady broadleaf and evergreen forest with dense undergrowth, bamboo thickets and ravines near streams, from lowlands into hills. In some areas it also uses overgrown gardens, plantations and well-wooded parks.
05
Why this diet?
Takes insects, earthworms and other invertebrates from damp leaf litter on the ground, turning leaves with the bill. Berries and other small fruit are eaten too, especially outside the breeding season.
06
Activity, rest, and lifespan
Active by day, with most foraging in the dim light of early morning and late afternoon. It roosts at night on a perch in dense bushes or the lower branches of trees.
Geokichla citrina has no ringing-based lifespan table; it feeds quietly on the shaded forest floor among leaf litter.
07
Orange-headed Thrush reproduction
A deep cup nest of twigs, moss and roots is built in a fork of a sapling or bush a few metres up. Clutches are usually three or four eggs; both parents feed the chicks.
Males have clean blue-grey backs and wings. Females are similar below but have olive-brown tinged upperparts and are generally duller.
08
Predators, threats, and defense
09
Conservation and rarity
Rarity: Relatively common · 41/100. AnimalDex canonical rarity score: 41/100, maintained by the live indexed species profile.
- Observe from a respectful distance and avoid changing the animal's behavior.
- Do not block feeding, shelter, nesting, or travel routes.
- Use a live camera capture without handling or staging wildlife.
Speak to the animal
Speak to the Orange-headed Thrush
It answers as itself: ask about how it lives, or bring it something of yours and hear what it would do, from its own Power.
Anonymous: 3/day. Signed-in: 10/day. Pro: 100/day.
Compare
Compare the Orange-headed Thrush
No matchups written for the Orange-headed Thrush yet. Pick any animal to put it up against. Compare with any animal →
Battled in the Arena
0–3
vs Guinea Piggerald · MochiMochi won · Aug 25, 2026
- 0–3
vs House Flygerald · John Leonathan DakhiJohn Leonathan Dakhi won · Aug 25, 2026
Where to find them
Where to find Orange-headed Thrush
To find Orange-headed Thrush in the wild, focus on the exact habitat patches that match its body design and daily behavior, not just the broad country where it exists. You usually do better by working one good piece of habitat inside south Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia than by covering too much ground.
- Forest edge, canopy gaps, fruiting trees, or shaded trails where cover and food meet
- Sunlit logs, exposed branches, warm rocks, or regular perch sites used for scanning
- Protected habitat blocks within south Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia
Scientific name
Geokichla citrina
Category
Animal
Habitat
Damp, shady broadleaf and evergreen forest with dense undergrowth, bamboo thickets and ravines near streams, from lowlands into hills. In some areas it also uses overgrown gardens, plantations and well-wooded parks.
Rarity
Relatively common · 41/100
Native range
South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia
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