It is common in open forest in the Himalayas, and migrates seasonally into peninsular India, Nepal and rarely to Bangladesh.

The name commemorates the British ornithologist Samuel Tickell who collected in India and Burma.

[2] Males of the Tickell's thrush have uniform blue-grey upperparts, a whitish belly and vent.

There is a yellow eye-ring which is thinner and fainter than the Indian black bird which is usually bigger in size.

[3] Tickell's thrush builds nests from April to June using mostly dry grass.