A medium thrush of northeastern mountain forests. Restricted to specific habitats.

Also called: Bicknell's

Native status: Native; vulnerable

§ Quick facts

SizeBody 16–17 cm (6.3–6.7 in); wingspan 28 cm
Weight25–32 g
LifespanWild typically 7+ years
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyTurdidae

§ Encyclopedia

Bicknell's thrush is a medium-sized thrush, at 17.5 cm (6.9 in) and 28 g (0.99 oz). One of North America's rarest and most localized songbirds, it breeds on coniferous mountain tops and disturbed habitats of northeastern North America. While very similar in appearance and vocalization to the gray-cheeked thrush, the two species differ slightly in their morphology and vocalizations, although they have with completely different breeding ranges. It was named after Eugene Bicknell, an American amateur ornithologist, who made the first scientific discovery of the species on Slide Mountain in the Catskills in the late 19th century. John Burroughs, in his essay, "The Heart of the Southern Catskills" (1886), writes effusively about the voice of Bicknell's thrush heard near the summit on his climbs of Slide Mountain, and how on his stays on Slide saw them nowhere else but "about the summit", and saw no other thrush but Bicknell's.

Source: Wikipedia — Bicknell's thrush Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Medium thrush, very similar to Gray-cheeked Thrush; reddish-brown back, gray cheeks, lightly spotted breast. Slightly smaller and warmer-toned than Gray-cheeked.

Similar species. Gray-cheeked Thrush (very similar; reliable separation requires range, habitat, and song). Veery (much warmer brown). Swainson's Thrush (distinct face pattern).

Voice. Three-part nasal song: "wee-o-wee-o-tay-tay-tay" — rising at end.

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. Insects (beetles, ants, caterpillars), small fruit (mountain ash, blueberry), spiders.

Behavior. Breeds only in dense high-elevation balsam fir and red spruce forests of northeastern US and adjacent Canada — one of the most range-restricted breeding ranges of any North American songbird. Climate-driven loss of subalpine fir habitat is the major threat. Winters in primary mountain forests of Hispaniola (especially Dominican Republic) — also threatened.

§ Range

Northeastern US mountains, Maritime Canada

§ Habitat

High-elevation spruce-fir forests

§ Threats

Climate change, habitat loss.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the bicknell's thrush is currently classified as Near Threatened.

§ What helps

Support northeastern mountain conservation.

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§ Further reading

§ Sources cited

  • Vermont Center for Ecostudies
  • International Bicknell's Thrush Conservation Group
  • Cornell Lab — All About Birds
  • IUCN Red List 2017