Issue 64 -
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| Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) Image Source |
Imagine you are out walking in the forest in the Pacific Northwest. The air is cool, and the canopy of trees captures the sunlight casting small shadows over the trail on which you walk. Small sparrows and wrens fly for cover as you pass, and shrubbery blows in the wind.
As you walk, you hear a bird call from somewhere out of sight, a circular warbling sound, that raises in pitch until its nearly inaudible. You stop and listen: there it is again. It's almost magical, like few birds you may have heard before. It's call has elements similar to that of a Robin, but it's nothing like a robin call, though equally beautiful. And if your forest adventures are anything like mine, you probably hear a lot more of them than you see. I am talking, of course, about the Swainson's Thrush.
The Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) is a thrush found on the west coat, into the rockies and through southern Canada. These birds have beautiful warbling call which rolls and rises in pitch. Males do a lot of singing in the morning to mark their small territory. They also sing during the day, and in evenings.
The Swainson's has several features typical of thrushes: the body shape, it's large black eyes and bill shape, as well as spots found on Juveniles. Certain elements of its call are similar to other thrushes I have researched as well. unlike my experience with Robins, these birds prefer to avoid urban areas when breeding, and migrate at night, sometimes flying over residential areas calling to each other as they do, though I have never observed this, living in the middle of the suburbs. Their bodies are olive-grey above, with lighter bellies. Speaking from experience, this makes them somewhat difficult to spot. I had an interesting run in with one during the first weekend after school in which I stalked one around a campground at Umpqua Lighthouse State Park
As you walk, you hear a bird call from somewhere out of sight, a circular warbling sound, that raises in pitch until its nearly inaudible. You stop and listen: there it is again. It's almost magical, like few birds you may have heard before. It's call has elements similar to that of a Robin, but it's nothing like a robin call, though equally beautiful. And if your forest adventures are anything like mine, you probably hear a lot more of them than you see. I am talking, of course, about the Swainson's Thrush.
The Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) is a thrush found on the west coat, into the rockies and through southern Canada. These birds have beautiful warbling call which rolls and rises in pitch. Males do a lot of singing in the morning to mark their small territory. They also sing during the day, and in evenings.
The Swainson's has several features typical of thrushes: the body shape, it's large black eyes and bill shape, as well as spots found on Juveniles. Certain elements of its call are similar to other thrushes I have researched as well. unlike my experience with Robins, these birds prefer to avoid urban areas when breeding, and migrate at night, sometimes flying over residential areas calling to each other as they do, though I have never observed this, living in the middle of the suburbs. Their bodies are olive-grey above, with lighter bellies. Speaking from experience, this makes them somewhat difficult to spot. I had an interesting run in with one during the first weekend after school in which I stalked one around a campground at Umpqua Lighthouse State Park
Sources:
- Youtube video "Thrushes" by Peterson's Field Guide https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOfY3Cu8FTA
- National Audubon Field Guide to North American Birds, Western Region
- Birds of the Willamette Valley
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