Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)

One of four species of medium-sized, spotted thrushes that occur in Minnesota, this cousin of the American robin is unobtrusive—but attentive birdwatchers can learn to look and listen for it. 

Appearance. Swainson’s thrush is about the size of a bluebird, 7 inches long with a 12-inch wingspan, but with the shape and posture of the larger American robin. It has olive-brown upperparts, including the tail, and whitish underparts with dark spots on the throat and upper breast. The female and male look alike. It is best distinguished from similar thrush species by its buffy face (including “spectacles” around the eye), heavier spotting on the upper breast, and lack of a contrasting, rust-colored tail.

Sounds. During the breeding season, Swainson’s thrushes can be difficult to observe when singing, motionless, from a branch. At such times, the only indication of its presence is a series of haunting, ethereal notes spiraling upward in pitch. Like other thrushes, it often sings at dusk. Its song can be distinguished from the veery’s descending spiral of notes, while the hermit thrush’s song neither descends nor ascends in pitch.

Behavior. The Swainson’s thrush is relatively common, but quiet and unobtrusive, during migration, when it can be seen hopping on the lawn of a suburban yard like a robin, or more often on the ground along a forest trail. When disturbed, these birds fly to a fallen log or low branch and remain motionless. They are much more secretive and difficult to see during the breeding season, in large part due to the remoteness of their nesting areas. They build a cup-shaped nest on a branch near the trunk, typically 2 to 7 feet off the ground.

Distribution and Habitat. This bird is a long-distance migrant, breeding in coniferous forests across Canada and in the western, northeastern, and northern Great Lakes regions of the United States. They spend the winter in Central and South America. In spring, they typically pass through southern and central Minnesota during May, while fall migration runs from late August through September. During migration, they may be found in wooded or partially wooded habitats, including suburban and rural yards and parks. Although widespread during migration, they are our least common nesting thrush. Coniferous and mixed forests of Minnesota’s Arrowhead region are its center of abundance in the state, extending west through Itasca and Koochiching counties to Lake of the Woods and Roseau counties in the northwest. Swainson’s thrushes nest in mature and older upland mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, particularly those with conifers such as spruce, balsam fir, or white cedar mixed with aspen. They may also be found in conifer swamps of black spruce, white cedar, and tamarack.