Photo: Becky Matsubara · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
Thrushes
Varied Thrush
Ixoreus naevius
A stunning thrush of the Pacific Northwest rainforest, resembling a robin but with a bold black breast band, orange eyebrow stripe, and orange wing bars. Its haunting, single-note whistle echoes through misty forests.
Current regional viewing notes
Dense old-growth and mature forests around Hoonah; often heard before seen, with its ethereal buzzy whistle ringing through the spruce and hemlock canopy.
Dataset note: This legacy field can be specific to Southeast Alaska/Hoonah and is not a complete statewide range statement.
Habitat
Dense, dark coniferous forests — especially old-growth Sitka spruce and western hemlock.
Diet
Insects, earthworms, berries, and seeds; forages on the forest floor among leaf litter.
Natural history note
The Varied Thrush's song is a single, long, eerie whistle on one pitch — each successive note is sung on a different pitch, creating a haunting, organ-like quality unique among North American birds.