Wood thrush

Wood thrush
Song
Song
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Turdidae
Genus: Hylocichla
Baird, 1864
Species:
H. mustelina
Binomial name
Hylocichla mustelina
(Gmelin, JF, 1789)
  Breeding
  Migration
  Nonbreeding
Synonyms[2]
  • Turdus mustelinus Gmelin, 1789
  • Merula mustelina (Gmelin, 1789)
  • Catharus mustelinus (Gmelin, 1789)

The wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) is a North American passerine bird in the family Turdidae and is the only species placed in the genus Hylocichla. 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. The wood thrush is the official bird of the District of Columbia.[3]

The wood thrush is a medium-sized thrush, with brown upper parts with mottled brown and white underparts. The male and female are similar in appearance. The song of the male is often cited as being the most beautiful in North America.

The wood thrush is an omnivore, and feeds preferentially on soil invertebrates and larvae, but will also eat fruits. In the summer, it feeds on insects continuously in order to meet daily metabolic needs. It is solitary, but sometimes forms mixed-species flocks. The wood thrush defends a territory that ranges in size from 800 to 28,000 m2 (960 to 33,490 sq yd). The wood thrush is monogamous, and its breeding season begins in the spring; about 50% of all mated pairs are able to raise two broods, ranging in size from two to four chicks.[4]

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2020). "Hylocichla mustelina". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T22708670A154163742. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22708670A154163742.en.
  2. ^ "Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina (Gmelin, JF 1789)". Avibase. Denis Lepage. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  3. ^ "50 States". Retrieved 17 June 2007.
  4. ^ Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. "Wood Thrush". Archived from the original on 9 June 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2007.