Wood Thrush Bird

Potbellied bird with bright reddish crown and neck white eye ring and a bold black-spotted breast.

Wood thrush bird. From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia The wood thrush Hylocichla mustelina is a North American passerine bird. More often heard than seen. Boldly patterned thrush is bright rusty-brown above with black spots on the white belly.

Its scientific name Hylocichla mustelina translates roughly as weasel-colored woodland thrush a reference to this birds rich red-brown head back wings and tail. Hylocichla mustelina Seemingly not as shy as the other brown thrushes not as bold as the Robin the Wood Thrush seems intermediate between those two related groups. The robust long-legged Wood Thrush is closely related to the American Robin and thrushes of the genus Catharus such as the Bicknells Thrush and Swainsons Thrush.

Listen for its incredible flute-like song. Where there are large trees moderate understory shade and abundant leaf litter for foraging. Thrushes are generally larger than chats often spotted underneath but in some species males are unspotted and clearly different from females.

Scientific Classification Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Aves Order Passeriformes Family Turdidae Genus Hylocichla Species Hylocichla mustelina Quick Information Size 18 to 215 cm 71 to 85 inch long Wingspan 30 to. The wood thrush is a medium-sized songbird about 20 cm long slightly smaller than the American robin and similar in shape. By meeting these birds basic needs for food water shelter and nesting sites it is possible to attract thrushes and enjoy their amazing company all year round.

Smaller than a robin but larger than Hermit Thrush. Within the family researchers recognize 18 different taxonomic genuses within the family containing hundreds of different species of Thrushes. Wood Thrushes are forest-interior birds and are unlikely to come to feeders.

The wood thrush is the official bird of the District of Columbia. Most thrushes are not always common backyard birds but attracting them can be rewarding because it means developing a rich bird-friendly habitat to lure these shy species. It is closely related to other thrushes such as the American robin and is widely distributed across North America wintering in Central America and southern Mexico.