Bassian Thrush

1. Heavy black scalloping on both olive-brown upperparts and whitish underparts

2. Scaly (not spotted) markings, unlike the introduced Song Thrush

3. No white in the tail corners when flying

Bassian Thrushes are ground foragers, feeding mainly on earthworms, beetles, and other invertebrates found in leaf litter. Their breeding season extends from June to February, with some records in April. They build large, deep cup-shaped nests from bark strips and leaves, lined with grass and rootlets, placed in tree forks, on stumps, or occasionally on ledges up to 15 metres high. Females lay two to three eggs per clutch, and both parents share incubation (about 14 days) and care for the young, which remain in the nest for another 14 days. The species is mostly sedentary, though some local movements occur.

Bassian Thrushes inhabit wet forests, cool gullies, and rainforest edges in southeastern Australia, Tasmania, Kangaroo Island, and the Atherton Tablelands in Queensland. They favour areas with deep leaf litter and moist soil, often near creeks or in tree-fern gullies. Typically, they forage alone or in pairs, moving quietly with stop-start movements as they probe under leaves for invertebrates.