financial support from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(Grant No.2014FY210200,to.T.C.and Y.G.);the Russian Science Foundation(Project No.14-50-00029,to M.K.);the Delia Koo Global Faculty Endowment of the Asian Studies Center,Michigan State University(to P.C.R.);The Sound Approach and Jornvall Foundation(both to P.A.and U.O.);the Chinese Academy of Sciences Visiting Professorship for Senior International Scientists(No.2011T2S04,to P.A.);Swarovski Optik Greater China(to P.A.)
Background: The Plain-backed Thrush Zoothera mollissima breeds in the Himalayas and mountains of central China. It was long considered conspecific with the Long-tailed Thrush Zoothera dixoni, until these were shown to...