Think a more isolated patch of old growth with an understory of alders, ferns and Devil’s Club. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. in a very wild city park in Boise, Idaho. Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 11.8 to 13.6 cm (4.6 to 5.4 in), the bill is 1.8 to 2.3 cm (0.71 to 0.91 in) and the tarsus is 2.9 to 3.3 cm (1.1 to 1.3 in). National Geographic records their winter range as “coastal Alaska to southern California and parts of northern Rockies,” but judging by this enthusiastic news account, sightings in southern California may be somewhat rare. The Varied Thrush was first identified by naturalists on Captain Cook’s third voyage in 1778 at Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island. Females show a similarly gorgeous, but duller pattern. ( Log Out /  Enter an optional name and contact email address. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. In general, var… ), Pacific Northwest Native Plant Profile: Oregon grape (Mahonia species), Pacific Northwest Native Plant Profile: Broad-leaved penstemon (Penstemon ovatus), A Winter Delight: Licorice Fern (Polypodium glycyrrhiza), Pacific Northwest Native Plant Profile: Graceful cinquefoil (Potentilla gracilis), Gifts of the Oregon White Oak (Quercus garryana), Pacific Northwest Native Plant Profile: Cascara (Rhamnus purshiana), Pacific Northwest Native Plant Profile: Red-flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum), Pacific Northwest Native Plant Profile: Pacific Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa var. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), BIOMECHANICS, AERODYNAMICS AND THERMAL BALANCE IN THE FLIGHT OF HUMMINGBIRDS. And they’re timid and wary of people, so you may be more likely to hear one than to see one. Follow Not only for the birds? A similar band lines the face at the eye. Birds of a feather Typical of the far west, it sometimes surprises birders by straying all the way to the Atlantic Coast in winter. Females have the same patterns, but are paler gray-brown than males. But just a few days ago I spotted a female rummaging on the ground through the fallen leaves that blanket our yard’s soil, as if she had forgotten where she put her keys: She’d grab a dry leaf in her bill, toss it aside as she hopped backwards, and then search the ground. Western Monarch Butterflies Desperately Need Our Help, Welcome Little-Known Moths to Your Garden, tips to help birds avoid reflective glass. Given the regularity of my sightings of both Varied Thrush and White-throated Sparrow, I’ve decided to focus on filming these birds while I have the opportunity. Thanks for the comment! It takes a little patience, and a little luck. Many migrate north as the days lengthen. ♦ Thrushes are mainly insectivorous, so add additional “associate” native plants that would naturally grow with the trees to supply extra helpings of native insects and other arthropods. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It has grayish-black patches along the sides of its face as well as a dark band across its breast. Similar in size and shape to the American Robin but slighter in build, the Varied Thrush is a boldly patterned bird. PLATE CXLIII.--MALE AND FEMALE. Window strikes are also responsible for many deaths. Look for The varied thrush is large songbird with a stout build, short tail, and distinctly colored plumage. This winter, at least two Varied Thrush have taken refuge in a very wild city park in Boise, Idaho. I think Avalanche Campground and the Cedars Nature Trail. But hearing their call in a forest rarely helps locate one, since their ethereal, somewhat mournful voice seems to pervade the peaceful woods.