Thrushes

Swainson's Thrush

Catharus ustulatus

A medium-sized thrush with warm brown upperparts, buffy eye-ring, and spotted breast. Its upward-spiraling, flute-like song is one of the defining sounds of northern forests in summer.

Current regional viewing notes

Dense forest undergrowth and riparian thickets around Hoonah; commonly heard singing its spiraling song from dense cover.

Dataset note: This legacy field can be specific to Southeast Alaska/Hoonah and is not a complete statewide range statement.

Habitat

Dense forest understory, riparian thickets, and second-growth forests.

Diet

Insects, spiders, and berries; forages on the ground and in low shrubs.

Natural history note

Swainson's Thrushes migrate at night and have been recorded flying at altitudes of over 8,000 feet, navigating by the stars and Earth's magnetic field.