Hermit Thrush

Description:

The Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) is a medium-sized North American thrush. This species measures 15 to 18 cm (5.9 to 7.1 in) in length, spans 25 to 30 cm (9.8 to 11.8 in) across the wings and weighs 18 to 37 g (0.63 to 1.31 oz). The Hermit Thrush has the white-dark-white underwing pattern characteristic of Catharus thrushes. Adults are mainly brown on the upperparts, with reddish tails. The underparts are white with dark spots on the breast and grey or brownish flanks. They have pink legs and a white eye ring. Birds in the east are more olive-brown on the upperparts; western birds are more grey-brown.

Habitat:

Their breeding habitat is coniferous or mixed woods across Canada, Alaska, and the northeastern and western United States. They make a cup nest on the ground or relatively low in a tree. Hermit Thrushes migrate to wintering grounds in the southern United States and south to Central America but some remain in northern coastal US states and southern Ontario. Although they usually only breed in forests, Hermit Thrushes will sometimes winter in parks and wooded suburban neighborhoods. They are very rare vagrants to western Europe. It has also occurred as a vagrant in northeast Asia. This one was photographed from my deck, which is near a ]southeastern deciduous forest with oaks, hickories, pine, elm, etc. Within 200 yards of the spotting is a small pond and stream.

Notes:

They forage on the forest floor, also in trees or shrubs, mainly eating insects and berries. The Hermit Thrush's song] is ethereal and flute-like, consisting of a beginning note, then several descending musical phrases in a minor key, repeated at different pitches. They often sing from a high open location. Thanks to Liam Wolf and Jakubko for the ID assistance.