The uniquely patterned plumage of the varied thrush makes this songbird one of the most distinctive thrushes, easy to identify even though it often prefers to stay in thick underbrush and only gives birders the briefest glimpses of its colorful markings.

Common Name: Varied Thrush

Scientific Name: Ixoreus naevius

Scientific Family: Turdidae

Appearance:

• Bill: Sturdy, straight, relatively thin, black with a paler base to the lower mandible

• Size: 9-10 inches long with 14-16-inch wingspan, stocky build, deep chest, relatively short tail
• Colors: Orange, black, white, gray, blue-gray, brown-gray
• Markings: Dimorphic species. Males have a dark blue-gray face with a thick orange eyebrow, and the chin and throat are also plain bright orange. The crown, nape and back are gray-blue, and the wings are grayish black with two bold orange wing bars and orange edging on the feathers. The rump is gray. A thick black or gray-black breast band crosses the chest, and the abdomen is orange with some faint gray scaling or mottling. The undertail coverts are mostly white but may show orange or gray smudges. In flight, the wings show a bold pale orange streak both above and below. Females are similar to males but are duller overall, with stronger mottling and an incomplete or faded breast band. For both genders, the eyes are dark and the legs and feet are pale.
  
  Juveniles look similar to females but show a paler abdomen and more gray-brown plumage. Young thrushes also show more distinct scaling on the breast and face.

Foods: Insects, berries, nuts, seeds, caterpillars (See: Omnivorous)

Habitat and Migration:

These thrushes prefer dense, moist thickets with scrub understory cover, particularly in coniferous forests or mixed coniferous and deciduous woodlands as well as riparian corridors. In suburban areas, they may also frequent orchards, parks, gardens and backyards that have suitable cover.

The varied thrush can be seen year-round along the Pacific Coast of North America from northern California to southern Alaska, and further inland in the western regions of Washington and Oregon as well as northern Idaho. In summer, these birds expand their breeding territory to most of Alaska and into Canada as far inland as western Alberta and the western edge of the Northwest Territories. In winter, varied thrushes head further south in California and slightly further inland, and they are regularly seen as far south as the northernmost section of the Baja Peninsula.

Vagrant sightings are somewhat rare but regular, and varied thrushes have been seen as far east as New England and as far south as Virginia, Florida and Texas.

Vocalizations:

These birds have a steady rough whistle that stays on the same pitch and lasts 2-3 seconds. A softer churp or elongated churr note is also common as a call.

Behavior:

These birds are solitary or may be seen in pairs, and they occasionally forage with American robins in winter. They stay low in trees or are more often seen on the ground, though they do use higher perches when singing. While foraging, they hop and pick at the ground, moving leaves to reveal more prey. They can be bullies at feeders and may chase away smaller birds, and they are also defensive of their nesting sites and use threat displays such as low crouches, drooped and spread wings and tail fanning to discourage intruders. Their flight path is a straight line, and typical flying includes rapid, steady wing beats.

Reproduction:

These are monogamous birds. The female builds a cup-shaped nest positioned 10-20 feet above the ground, usually close to the trunk of a coniferous tree, with twigs, grass and roots used for construction. The nest is lined with moss and dry leaves, and may have additional moss or lichen draped over the sides as camouflage. The oval-shaped eggs are pale blue with small brown specks, and 1-6 eggs are found in a typical brood. Each pair may raise 1-2 broods annually.

The female incubates the eggs for 12-14 days, and both parents continue to feed the altricial young until they are ready to leave the nest in 13-15 days.

Attracting Varied Thrushes:

While these birds can be shy, they readily respond to pishing in the field. In the backyard, creating suitable shelter can help attract them, and they will take advantage of berry-producing bushes and shrubs such as snowberry, honeysuckle and huckleberry. Minimizing insecticide use is essential, and providing a ground feeding area or low platform feeder with seeds or fruit scraps can attract varied thrushes. Leaving leaf litter intact can attract birds in fall, and a ground bird bath is another feature these birds may investigate.

Conservation:

While these thrushes are not considered threatened or endangered, they do require large areas of mature forest for successful breeding and populations are declining in areas where logging is fragmenting the forests. In suburban areas, varied thrushes are particularly susceptible to window strikes and feral cats.

Similar Birds:

• American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
• Rufous-Backed Robin (Turdus rufopalliatus)
• Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii)
• Black-Headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus)
• Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)

Photo – Varied Thrush – Male © Tim Lenz
Photo – Varied Thrush – Female © Minette Layne