Hermit Thrush

Hermit Thrush

Catharus guttatus

The Hermit Thrush is the only member of its genus to spend the winter in North America. It changes its diet from eating nearly entirely insects in summer to one of equal parts insects and fruit in winter.

Interesting Information

In the Appalachian Mountains the Hermit Thrush is displaced at lower elevations by the Veery and at higher elevations by Swainson's Thrush, leaving the middle altitudes for the Hermit Thrush.
East of the Rocky Mountains the Hermit Thrush usually nests on the ground. In the West, it is more likely to nest in trees.

Description

Adult Description

Medium-sized thrush.
Brown back, reddish tail.
Black spots on chest.
Thin white eyering.
Cocks tail up and flicks wings frequently; lifts tail up quickly, lowers it slowly.
Length Range: 17 cm (6.75 in)
Weight: 31 g (1.1 oz)
Size: Small (5 - 9 in)

Sex Differences

Sexes Similar

Immature

Similar to adults

Photo taken from: The Sibley Field Guide by David Allen Sibley

Habitat

Breeds in interior of deciduous, mixed, and coniferous forest, favoring internal forest edges.
Winters in moist and dense cover of woody growth, forests, open woodlands, and in the northern part of range especially in ravines and sheltered sites.

Behavior

Forages on ground by watching for movement, and by digging in leaf litter.

Food

Insects and other arthropods, fruit.

Taxonomy

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Turdidae
Genus:	Catharus
Species:	Catharus guttatus
Subspecies:	Catharus guttatus auduboni
	Catharus guttatus crymophilus
	Catharus guttatus faxoni
	Catharus guttatus guttatus
	Catharus guttatus nanus
	Catharus guttatus polionutus
	Catharus guttatus sequoiensis
	Catharus guttatus sleveni

Similar Species

Browner races of similar, but have buffy eyering and a strong buffy wash to lower cheeks and breast, and tail does not contrast strongly with back.
Gray-cheeked and Bicknell's thrushe, Swainson's Thrushs have only a partial eyering, and the tail does not contrast as sharply with the back. The Bicknell's Thrush may have a chestnut tail, but not as bright rufous.

Bird Sound

Song a melodious, fluty warble, mostly on one pitch, starting with a clear whistled note. Call a low "chuck" and a high, harsh "screy."

Eggs look like this

Photo taken from: ARCTOS Collaborative Collection Management Solution

	Sources Used To Construct This Page
	Jones, P. W., and T. M. Donovan. 1996. Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus). In The Birds of North America, No. 261 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.

	All photos and videos © Rick Swartzentrover - Free for non-profit use.