Habitat
Dry and semi-dry woodland and scrub with abundant leaf-litter, often in areas with a clear understorey but sometimes in dense thickets, along ravines and river-valleys, and on dry hillsides well away from streams. From sea-level - 200 m.
Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.
Population
Estimated population is 1,300 (2010) and decreasing.
Status EN
Habitat destruction and degradation through conversion to agriculture, charcoal-burning and wood-cutting, housing development, are the main threats.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Food
Invertebrates, small frogs and lizards. Also berries.
Voice
A limited repertoire of short, harsh calls, occasionally a musical 'tee-rou'. Alarm call is a harsh 'tschhhh'. Juveniles located on ground by thin 'tseep' calls.
White-breasted Thrasher (Ramphocinclus brachyurus) [XC589911]
by Simon Elliott from near Praslin, St Lucia (begging call)
White-breasted Thrasher (Ramphocinclus) [XC459595]
by Allen T. Chartier from La Trinit\u00e9, La Trinit\u00e9, France (call)
Subspecies
Was in the past sometimes placed in genus Cinclocerthia, but the two genera may not be closely related. Subspecies sanctaeluciae considered a separate species by some authors.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
brachyurus (Vieillot, 1818) - Martinique, in central Lesser Antilles.
sanctaeluciae Cory, 1887 - St Lucia, in south-central Lesser Antilles.
Similar Species
Grey Trembler (Cinclocerthia gutturalis) is larger, less two-toned, grey above and has white iris.
References
See References.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet