Thrushes

Thrushes share the traits of large

The Swainson's Thrush, photo taken from The Birds Display Picture List

eyes, slender bills, strong legs, and fine voices and songs. They also commonly have brown backs with white-spotted breasts, so as you may predict it is hard to tell the difference between certain species. These traits also make Robins and Bluebirds a part of the thrush family, though they are not commonly referred to as thrushes. The other types of thrushes we have in the Mississagi River Valley area are the Swainson's Thrush, which can only be identified by its buff colored eye-ring, and buff highlights throughout the cheeks. There is also the Hermit Thrush, which is distinguished by its reddish tail, and the Wood Thrush, which has a reddish head and deeper-toned spots. Finally, there is the Veery, probably the easiest to identify because it is much lighter in colour, looking almost like a faded version of the others. Most can be found in deciduous forests, thickets, and parks.