Catharus
guttatus
(Hermit
Thrush)
Physical
Description:
6 1/2-8" (17-20 cm). Brownish-olive
above with tail more rusty; eye-ring whitish. Whitish below with brownish spotting.
Often flicks tail.
Similar Species- Swainson's Thrush and Veery
Song:
Eerie
song begins with a long, clear whistle followed by flute-like warbles. Often
changes pitch from one rendition to the next.
Distribution:
Breeds
from portions of Alaska and Canada, south to southern California, western Texas,
northern Minnesota, northeastern Ohio, and Virginia. Winters from southern British
Columbia, southern Ontario, and northern U.S., south to southern Baja California,
Central America, Texas, and Gulf Coast.
and mixed forests and
forest edges; in dry, sandy, sparse jackpine; and, less frequently, in deciduous forests and thickets.
During migration and in winter, also found
in chaparral, riparian woodlands, arid pine/oak,
and desert scrub. Preliminary results of northern Idaho study found abundance
was higher in selectively harvested stands than in continuous old-growth stands.
Diet:
Eats insects, other invertebrates,
and some small fruits.
Ecology:
Builds cup-shaped nest, frequently in
moist situations, on ground or low in tree or shrub. Forages on ground. May
also take food from foliage, or hover while foraging.
3-4 eggs (usually) for
12-13 days. Young are tended by both parents, and leave nest at 10-12 days.
Conservation:
| Element Code: | ABPBJ18110 |
| Status: | Protected nongame species |
| Global Rank: | G5 |
| State Rank: | S4,NTMB |
| National Rank: | N5 |
Important
State References:
Hejl, S.J. and L.C. Paige. 1993. Birds
in continuous and fragmented forests of western red cedar/western hemlock in
northern Idaho: a preliminary assessment. Draft manuscript, Inter. Res. Sta.,
USDA Forest Service, Missoula. 18pp.