Turdidae

Under Sibley-Monroe, the Turdinae (thrushes) have been grouped with the Muscicapinae (flycatchers, robins, etc.) in a greater Muscicapidae. Note that Sibley and Monroe place Monticola (rock thrushes) with the Turdinae and Cochoa with the Muscicapinae. The original Vietnamese name of the Turdidae is officially Họ chích chòe, after the forktails. Since the forktails are now placed in the Muscicapidae, I have taken the liberty of naming the Turdinae Họ Hoét.

1. General names

Chinese:

The official modern Chinese name for the thrushes is 鸫 dōng. The problem is that it doesn't seem to enjoy wide popular currency. The character is not even listed in A Chinese-English Dictionary, a large standard bilingual dictionary. According to Japanese sources, the use of the character 鶇 to refer to the thrushes is of Japanese origin. If this is the case, then the word 鸫 dōng in the meaning 'thrush' is actually a borrowing from Japanese.

So what the thrushes were called before the 'official' names came along? The common Blackbird, officially known as the 乌鸫 wū-dōng in modern Chinese, was traditionally called the 百舌 bǎi-shé or 'hundred tongues' because of its skill in mimicry. It is also known as the 乌 wū-chūn ('dark chun') or 乌鹡 wū-jí ('dark fantail'). The Dusky Thrush is eaten on account of its tasty flavour and is also known as the 穿草鸡 chuān-cǎo-jī or 窜儿鸡 cuànr-jī.

宽嘴鸫 kuān-zuǐ-dōng ('broad-billed thrushes') is the name given to the cochoas.

Japanese:

The Japanese name for the thrushes in general is ツグミ tsugumi, written 鶇. The word ツグミ tsugumi by itself refers to the Dusky Thrush (Turdus naumanni).

Several thrushes have names that don't contain the word ツグミ tsugumi, including シロハラ shiro-hara (白腹) meaning 'white belly', アカハラ aka-hara (赤腹) meaning 'red belly' and マミチャジナイ mami cha-jinai (眉茶), meaning 'eyebrowed brown thrush'. The word シナイ shinai () in Classical Japanese referred to the larger thrushes.

Vietnamese:

The official Vietnamese name for the thrushes is Hoét. This name does not appear in most Vietnamese dictionaries.

Several thrushes in the genus Zoothera are called Sáo. This is a native Vietnamese name applied to a number of similar-looking birds including the ground thrushes, starlings, mynahs, and sometimes magpies.

Cô cô is the official name given the Cochoa.

2. Species names

SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH		CHINESE			JAPANESE		VIETNAMESE
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Other J	Vietnamese	Other V
Myophonus
Myophonus robinsoni Myiophoneus robinsoni	Malayan whistling thrush Malayan whistling-thrush Malayan whistling thrush	马来啸鸫 Mǎlái xiào-dōng 'Malay whistling thrush'			マラヤルリチョウ (マラヤ瑠璃鳥 or マラヤ琉璃鳥) Maraya ruri-chō 'Malayan lapis lazuli bird'
Myophonus insularus Myiophoneus insularus	Taiwan whistling thrush (Cheng) Formosan whistling-thrush Formosan whistling thrush	台湾紫啸鸫 Táiwān zǐ xiào-dōng 'Taiwan purple whistling thrush'	台灣紫嘯鶇 Táiwān zǐ xiào-dōng 'Taiwan purple whistling thrush' 紫嘯鶇 zǐ xiào-dōng 'purple whistling thrush' (former official name)		ルリチョウ (瑠璃鳥 or 琉璃鳥) ruri-chō 'lapis lazuli bird'
Myophonus caeruleus Myiophoneus caeruleus	Blue whistling thrush Blue whistling-thrush (Cheng) Himalayan whistling thrush Violet whistling thrush	紫啸鸫 zǐ xiào-dōng 'purple whistling thrush'	白斑紫嘯鶇 bái-bān zǐ xiào-dōng 'white striped/spotted purple whistling thrush'	鸣鸡 míng-jī 'calling fowl' 山鸣鸡 shān míng-jī 'mountain calling fowl' 鸟精 niǎo jīng 'bird spirit'	オオルリチョウ (大瑠璃鳥 or 大琉璃鳥) ō ruri-chō 'large lapis lazuli bird'		Hoét xanh 'blue thrush'
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Other J	Vietnamese	Other V
Zoothera
Zoothera interpres	Chestnut-capped thrush Kuhl's ground thrush	栗顶地鸫 lì-dǐng dì-dōng 'chestnut-capped ground thrush' (4) 库氏地鸫 Kù-shì dì-dōng 'Mr Ku's ground thrush' (5)			クリガシラジツグミ (栗頭地鶇) kuri-gashira ji-tsugumi 'chestnut-headed ground thrush'
Zoothera citrina	Orange-headed thrush Orange-headed ground thrush (Cheng) Orange ground thrush	橙头地鸫 chéng-tóu dì-dōng 'orange-headed ground thrush'			オレンジジツグミ (オレンジ地鶇) orenji ji-tsugumi 'orange ground thrush'		Hoét vàng 'golden thrush'
Zoothera sibirica Turdus sibiricus	Siberian thrush Siberian ground thrush (Cheng)	白眉地鸫 bái-méi dì-dōng 'white eye-browed ground thrush'	白眉地鶇 bái-méi dì-dōng 'white eye-browed ground thrush'		マミジロ (眉白) mami-jiro 'white-eyebrow'	マユシロ (眉白) mayu-shiro 'white-eyebrow'	Hoét Xibêri 'Siberian thrush'
Zoothera mollissima	Plain-backed thrush Plain-backed mountain thrush (Cheng)	光背地鸫 guāng-bèi dì-dōng 'plain backed ground thrush'			アカトラツグミ (赤虎鶇) aka tora tsugumi 'red tiger thrush'		Sáo đất nâu hung 'reddish-brown ground sao'
Zoothera dixoni	Long-tailed thrush Long-tailed mountain thrush (Cheng)	长尾地鸫 cháng-wěi dì-dōng 'long tailed ground thrush'			オナガトラツグミ (尾長虎鶇) o-naga tora tsugumi 'long-tailed tiger thrush'		Sáo đất Dixon 'Dixon's ground sao'
Zoothera aurea	White's Thrush or White's thrush Golden mountain thrush (Cheng) White's ground thrush	虎斑地鸫 hǔ-bān dì-dōng 'tiger striped ground thrush' Note	白氏地鶇 Bái-shì dì-dōng 'Mr White's ground thrush'	顿鸡 dùn-jī 'pausing fowl (?)' meaning unclear 大花麦鴓 dà-huā mài miè 'large-flower grain mie' See also Turdus pallidus 虎鶇 hǔ-dōng 'tiger thrush' (former Taiwan official name for Zoothera dauma and Zoothera aurea)	トラツグミ (虎鶇) tora tsugumi 'tiger thrush'	ヌエドリ (鵼鳥) nue-dori 'nue bird ヌエ (鵼 or 鵺) nue 'nue ヌエコドリ (鵼子鳥) nueko-dori nueko bird	Sáo đất 'ground sao' Note
Zoothera major	Amami thrush	阿迈地鸫 Āmài dì-dōng 'Amai ground thrush' (4)			オオトラツグミ (大虎鶇) ō tora tsugumi 'large tiger thrush'
Zoothera dauma Turdus dauma	Scaly thrush or White's thrush	虎斑地鸫 hǔ-bān dì-dōng 'tiger striped ground thrush' Note	虎斑地鸫 hǔ-bān dì-dōng 'tiger striped ground thrush'	虎鶇 hǔ-dōng 'tiger thrush' (former Taiwan official name for Zoothera dauma and Zoothera aurea)	コトラツグミ (小虎鶇) ko tora tsugumi 'small tiger thrush' Note		Sáo đất 'ground sao'	Sáo đất mỏ nhỏ 'small-billed ground sao (Internet)
Zoothera monticola	Long-billed thrush Greater long-billed thrush	大长嘴地鸫 dà cháng-zuǐ dì-dōng 'large long-billed ground thrush'			オオハシツグミ (大嘴鶇) ō-hashi tsugumi 'large-billed thrush'		Sáo dài mỏ to 'large-billed long sao' (This is possibly a misprint for Sáo đất mỏ to)
Zoothera marginata	Dark-sided thrush Lesser long-billed thrush Long-billed thrush (Cheng)	长嘴地鸫 cháng-zuǐ dì-dōng 'long-billed ground thrush'			コオオハシツグミ (小大嘴鶇) ko ō-hashi tsugumi 'small large-billed thrush'		Sáo đất nâu 'brown ground sao'
Zoothera terrestris	Bonin thrush Bonin Island ground thrush Kittlitz's thrush	启利氏地鸫 Qǐlì-shì dì-dōng 'Mr Qili's ground thrush' (5)			オガサワラガビチョウ (小笠原画眉鳥) Ogasawara gabi-chō 'Bonin gabi bird' (gabi = huamei) (extinct)
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Other J	Vietnamese	Other V
Turdus
Turdus hortulorum	Grey-backed thrush	灰背鸫 huī-bèi dōng 'grey backed thrush'	灰背鶇 huī-bèi dōng 'grey backed thrush'		カラアカハラ (唐赤腹) kara aka-hara 'Chinese red belly'		Hoét lưng đen 'black-backed thrush' (13)
Turdus dissimilis	Black-breasted thrush	黑胸鸫 hēi-xiōng dōng 'black-breasted thrush'			ムナグロアカハラ (胸黒赤腹) muna-guro aka-hara 'black-breasted red belly'		Hoét ngực đen 'black-breasted thrush'
Turdus cardis	Japanese thrush Japanese grey thrush Grey thrush (Cheng)	乌灰鸫 wū-huī dōng 'black grey thrush'	烏灰鶇 wū-huī dōng 'black grey thrush' 灰鶇 huī dōng 'grey thrush' (former official name)		クロツグミ (黒鶇) kuro-tsugumi 'black thrush'		Hoét bụng trắng 'white-bellied thrush'
Turdus albocinctus	White-collared blackbird	白颈鸫 bái-jǐng dōng 'white-collared thrush'			シロエリツグミ (白襟鶇) shiro-eri tsugumi 'white-collared thrush'
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Other J	Vietnamese	Other V
Turdus boulboul	Grey-winged blackbird	灰翅鸫 huī-chì dōng 'grey-winged thrush'			ハイバネツグミ (灰羽鶇) hai-bane tsugumi 'grey-winged thrush'		Hoét đen cánh trắng 'white-winged black thrush'
Turdus merula	Eurasian blackbird or Common blackbird Blackbird (Cheng)	乌鸫 wū-dōng 'black thrush'	黑鶇 hēi-dōng 'black thrush'	百舌 bǎi-shé 'hundred tongues' 反舌 fǎn-shé 'counter tongue' (bird 'talks back') 乌 wū-chūn 'dark chun' 乌鸟 wū-niǎo 'dark bird' 中国黑鸫 Zhōngguó hēi-dōng 'Chinese black thrush' 乌鸪 wū-gū 'black gu'	クロウタドリ (黒歌鳥) kuro uta-dori 'black song-bird'	ブラックバード burakku-bādo 'blackbird' (English)	Hoét đen 'black thrush'	Chim hoét ‘thrush bird' Hắc đống 'black thrush' (from Chinese)
Turdus poliocephalus	Island thrush	岛鸫 dǎo dōng 'island thrush'	白頭鶇 bái-tóu dōng 'white-headed thrush'		タイワンツグミ (台湾鶇) Taiwan tsugumi 'Taiwan thrush'
Turdus rubrocanus	Chestnut thrush Grey-headed thrush (Cheng)	灰头鸫 huī-tóu dōng 'grey-headed thrush'			クリイロツグミ (栗色鶇) kuri-iro tsugumi 'chestnut-coloured thrush'		Hoét hung 'reddish thrush'
Turdus kessleri	Kessler's thrush (Cheng) or White-backed thrush	棕背鸫 zōng-bèi dōng 'reddish-brown-backed thrush' (2, 4) 棕背黑头鸫 zōng-bèi hēi-tóu dōng 'reddish-brown-backed black-headed thrush' (1, 3, 5)			チャイロツグミ (茶色鶇) cha-iro tsugumi 'brown thrush'
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Other J	Vietnamese	Other V
Turdus feae	Grey-sided thrush Fea's thrush (Cheng)	褐头鸫 hè-tóu dōng 'brown-headed thrush'			カキイロツグミ (柿色鶇) kaki-iro tsugumi 'persimmon-coloured thrush'
Turdus obscurus	Eyebrowed thrush Eye-browed thrush (Cheng)	白眉鸫 bái-méi dōng 'white-eyebrowed thrush'	白眉鶇 bái-méi dōng 'white-eyebrowed thrush'	眉鸫 méi dōng 'eyebrowed thrush' (7)	マミチャジナイ (眉茶) mami cha-jinai 'eyebrowed brown shinai'		Hoét mày trắng 'white-browed thrush'
Turdus pallidus	Pale thrush	白腹鸫 bái-fù dōng 'white-bellied thrush'	白腹鶇 bái-fù dōng 'white-bellied thrush'	白眉鸫 bái-méi dōng 'white-eyebrowed thrush' 白眉白腹鸫 bái-méi bái-fù dōng 'white-eyebrowed white-bellied thrush' 灰头鸫 huī-tóu dōng 'grey-headed thrush' 灰头穿草鸡 huī-tóu chuān-cǎo-jī 'grey-headed through-grass fowl' (See T. naumanni below) 银锭 yín-dìng 'silver ingot' 白眉灰麦鴓 bái-méi huī mài miè 'white-eyebrowed grey grain mie' (鴓 = warbler, see Phylloscopus coronatus, Anthus hodgsoni, Prinia flaviventris) See also Zoothera dauma	シロハラ (白腹) shiro-hara 'white belly'		Hoét đầu xám 'grey-headed thrush' (13)
Turdus chrysolaus	Brown-headed thrush Red-billed thrush Rufous-breasted thrush (Cheng) Brown thrush	赤胸鸫 chì-xiōng dōng 'red-breasted thrush'	赤腹鶇 chì-fù dōng 'red-bellied thrush'	红腹鸫 hóng-fù dōng 'red-bellied thrush' (7)	アカハラ (赤腹) aka-hara 'red belly'		Hoét nâu 'brown thrush' (13)
Turdus celaenops	Izu islands thrush Izu thrush Seven islands thrush	伊岛鸫 Yī-dǎo dōng 'Yi island thrush' (4) 七岛鸫 qī-dǎo dōng 'seven island thrush' (5)			アカコッコ (赤鶇 or 赤こっこ) aka-kokko 'red kokko' (dialect)' (kokko can be written 1. 'thrush' in Chinese characters or 2. in hiragana)
Turdus atrogularis	Black-throated Thrush	黑喉鸫 hēi-hóu dōng 'black-throated thrush' (2)			ノドグロツグミ (喉黒鶇) nodo-guro tsugumi 'black-throated thrush' Note
Turdus ruficollis	Red-throated thrush Dark-throated thrush Red-necked thrush (Cheng) Black-throated thrush	赤颈鸫 chì-jǐng dōng 'red-collared thrush'	赤頸鶇 chì-jǐng dōng 'red-collared thrush'		ノドグロツグミ (喉黒鶇) nodo-guro tsugumi 'black-throated thrush'
Turdus naumanni	Naumann's thrush	红尾鸫 hóng-wěi dōng 'red-tailed thrush' (2)	紅尾鶇 hóng-wěi dōng 'red-tailed thrush'		ハチジョウツグミ (八丈鶇) hachi-jō tsugumi 'Hachijo thrush' (Hachijo = island name) (Wikipedia)
Turdus eunomus Note	Dusky thrush	斑鸫 bān-dōng 'striped thrush' Note	斑點鶇 bān-diǎn dōng 'stripe-dot thrush'	穿草鸡 chuān-cǎo-jī 'pass through grass fowl' 窜儿鸡 cuànr-jī 'hiding fowl' (meaning unclear)	ツグミ (鶇) tsugumi 'thrush'	シナイ () shinai 'shinai' (old word for thrush)	Hoét lưng hung 'reddish backed thrush' Note
Turdus pilaris	Fieldfare	田鸫 tián dōng 'paddy thrush'			ノハラツグミ (野原鶇) no-hara tsugumi 'field thrush'
Turdus iliacus	Redwing	白眉歌鸫 bái-méi gē-dōng 'white-browed song thrush'			ワキアカツグミ (脇赤鶇) waki-aka tsugumi 'red-sided thrush'
Turdus philomelos	Song thrush European song thrush (Cheng)	欧歌鸫 Ōu gē-dōng 'European song thrush'		歌鸫 gē-dōng 'song thrush'	ウタツグミ (歌鶇) uta-tsugumi 'song thrush'
Turdus mupinensis	Chinese thrush Mongolian song thrush Eastern song thrush (Cheng) Verreaux's song thrush	宝兴歌鸫 Bǎoxìng gē-dōng 'Baoxing song thrush' (Baoxing is place name in Sichuan)			チベットウタツグミ (チベット歌鶇) Chibetto uta tsugumi 'Tibetan song thrush'		Hoét Trung Quốc 'Chinese thrush'
Turdus viscivorus	Mistle thrush Mistletoe thrush (Cheng)	槲鸫 hú-dōng 'mistletoe thrush'			ヤドリギツグミ (宿木鶇) yadori-gi tsugumi 'mistletoe thrush'
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Other J	Vietnamese	Other V
Cochoa
Cochoa purpurea	Purple cochoa	紫宽嘴鸫 zǐ kuān-zuǐ-dōng 'purple broad-billed thrush'			ムラサキミヤマツグミ (紫深山鶇) murasaki miyama tsugumi 'purple deep-mountain thrush'		Cô cô đầu xám 'grey-headed cochoa'
Cochoa viridis	Green cochoa	绿宽嘴鸫 lǜ kuān-zuǐ-dōng 'green broad-billed thrush'			ミドリミヤマツグミ (緑深山鶇) midori miyama tsugumi 'green deep-mountain thrush'		Cô cô đầu xanh 'blue-headed cochoa'
Brachypteryx
Brachypteryx stellata	Gould's shortwing Chestnut shortwing (Cheng)	栗背短翅鸫 lì-bèi duǎn-chì-dōng 'chestnut-backed short-winged thrush'			シロボシコバネヒタキ (白星小羽鶲) shiro-boshi ko-bane hitaki 'white-starred small winged flycatcher'		Hoét đuôi cụt bụng vằn 'stripe-bellied short-tailed thrush'
Brachypteryx hyperythra	Rusty-bellied shortwing	锈腹短翅鸫 xiù-fù duǎn-chì-dōng 'rust-bellied short-winged thrush'			ムネアカコバネヒタキ (胸赤小羽鶲) mune-aka ko-bane hitaki 'red-breasted small-winged flycatcher'
Brachypteryx leucophrys	Lesser shortwing	白喉短翅鸫 bái-hóu duǎn-chì-dōng 'white-throated short-winged thrush'			ヒメコバネヒタキ (姫小羽鶲) hime ko-bane hitaki 'princess small-winged flycatcher'		Hoét đuôi cụt mày trắng 'white-browed short-tailed thrush'
Brachypteryx montana	White-browed shortwing Blue shortwing (Cheng)	蓝短翅鸫 lán duǎn-chì-dōng 'blue short-winged thrush'	小翼鶇 xiǎo-yì-dōng 'small-winged thrush'		コバネヒタキ (小羽鶲) ko-bane hitaki 'small-winged flycatcher'		Hoét đuôi cụt xanh 'blue short-tailed thrush' Hoét 'thrush' (13) Probably an error.
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Other J	Vietnamese	Other V

3. Notes

1. The names of the thrushes have been systematised in Chinese. All end in the character 鸫 dōng.

Thrushes (general)	Turdus	鸫 dōng ('thrush')
Whistling thrushes	Myophonus	啸鸫 xiào-dōng ('whistling thrush')
Ground thrushes	Zoothera	地鸫 dì-dōng ('ground thrush')
Shortwings	Brachypteryx	短翅鸫 duǎn-chì-dōng ('short-winged thrush')

2. Obunsha's Kanwa Chu Jiten claims that the use of the character for 'thrush' is Japanese in origin. Traditionally, in Chinese 鶇 was used in a compound word referring to the Wryneck (woodpecker).

Attempts to find earlier or alternative Chinese expressions for the thrushes in the Cihai are not very revealing. For 鸫 dōng, the Cihai simply states that it refers to the Turdinae. There are no references to or citations from ancient sources. 鸫 is a word without a history.

The Cihai does, however, give a cross-reference to 乌鸫 wū-dōng ('blackbird'), a bird commonly found in China. Under 乌鸫 wū-dōng we find the alternative expression 乌 wū-chūn. The character chūn doesn't appear anywhere else in the Cihai, making it impossible to clarify its meaning and usage. (The Kangxi Dictionary glosses it only as 'a kind of bird'.)

The Cihai also mentions that the 乌鸫 wū-dōng used to be known as the 百舌 bǎi-shé 'hundred tongues' because of its versatile song. Curiously, in Japanese the characters 百舌 are used to write the name of the shrikes.

3. The fact that the Japanese turned to 鶇, 鵼, and 鵺 to write the names of the thrushes is probably due to lack of suitable Chinese words corresponding to Japanese ツグミ tsugumi and ヌエ nue (see the writing of Japanese bird names in Chinese characters).

4. Cultural Notes

In Japanese haiku, the Dusky Thrush (鶇 tsugumi) is a season word for late autumn. (Also called 鳥馬 chōma = 'bird horse' in this context).

The ヌエ nue (White's thrush) in Japanese (鵼 or 鵺) was also a mythical monster with the head of a monkey, the body of a racoon-dog, the tail of a snake, the limbs of a tiger, and the voice of a White's thrush. Such a monster was said to have been shot down by the 12th century Japanese military leader (shogun in later terminology) known as Minamoto no Yorimasa.