Birds and Birding's Guide to:

Watching THE SPARROW-LIKE BIRDS

THE SONG BIRDS

THE THRUSHES

Wood Thrush

Beyond doubt the best singers of the entire subfamily are to be found within the genus Hylocichla, all of the twelve forms of which are natives of North America. They have usually been placed with the members of the last genus, but are much smaller and more slender birds, with relatively much longer tarsi and smaller bill, their plumage being plain, usually uniform brown above and whitish or buffy boldly spotted with brown or blackish beneath. Of these the Wood Thrush (H. mustelina) of the eastern United States is easily distinguished by the bright cinnamon of the anterior upper parts and conspicuously spotted breast and sides. It is a gentle, lovable bird, rather shunning the noisy haunts of man and preferring low damp woodlands especially where there are dense patches of undergrowth into which he can plunge when alarmed. He is tamer than many of his relatives, permitting a quiet approach and inspection, but if too closely pressed, retreats with a sharp cry of alarm, which becomes still louder and more anxious if the nest or young are threatened. But it is when perched on some tree-top that he pours forth his exquisite song, which,”although composed of but few notes, is so powerful, distinct, clear, and mellow that it is impossible for any person to hear it without being struck by the effect which it produces on the mind. I do not know to what instrumental sounds I can compare these notes, for I really know none so melodious and harmonious.”—■ Audubon. The nest, which is usually placed in a bush or low sapling a few feet from the ground, is composed of grass stems, weed stalks, strips of bark and leaves, with an inner wall of mud and a lining of rootlets and soft grass. The eggs are from three to five in number and of a greenish blue color. The Wood Thrush spends the winter months mostly in Central America, and reaches his northern home about the middle of May, where his presence is announced by the ever welcome song.
The Wilson's Thrush, or Veery (H. fuscescens), also of eastern North America, is smaller than the last, has the entire upper parts cinnamon-brown, the middle of the throat, abdomen, and sides white, and the sides of the throat and breast with small, wedge-shaped spots or streaks of brown. Much shyer and more retiring than the Wood Thrush, it frequents low, damp woodlands, spending most of its time on the ground.”The Veery's usual call note,”says Mr. Chapman,”is a clearly whistled wheeu, which can be closely imitated; his song is a weird, ringing monotone of blended alto and soprano notes. Neither notes nor letters can tell of its peculiar quality; it has neither break nor pause, and seems to emanate from no one place. If you can imagine the syllables vee-r-r-hu repeated eight or nine times around a series of intertwining circles, the description might enable you to recognize the Veery's song.”The nest, which is without mud in its construction, is placed on or near the ground, and the eggs resemble those of the Wood Thrush.

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