Hermit Thrush
Catharus guttatus
Compiled by Liam Molina
The Hermit Thrush is a small, plump bird that is known to make a stop in Texas in non-breeding season and during migration, eventually making their way into forests in the northern United States and Canada. These birds are known to stand upright and have distinctly round and long heads. These little guys can be an easy spot, as they sport rich brown plumage in their upper body and a reddish tail.
If you’re looking to spot these birds, have your sights on forest understories. These birds perch close to the ground on various types of foliage and often hop around clearings and trails. Although a backyard visit from the Hermit Thrush is uncommon, they do forage for bugs and berries on the floor, and could be spotted combing through your yard.
These birds engage in “food quivering,” which involves shaking their feet in the grass to help them find insects. They have also been known to eat small lizards on occasion. When breeding, these birds are great co-parents, with males gathering food and females feeding the young. Their nests have been known to either nest on the ground or in trees, depending on what region they are breeding in. If you’re looking for them, they are known to make a series of unique calls while at their nest, one of which sounds like a mewing kitten!
Travis Audubon runs a project on iNaturalist called Austin Bird-Building Collisions, in which we record avian building collisions in the Austin area. Anyone can submit observations, and this data helps us better understand how birds are affected by urban threats like light pollution and glass. Two of its most recent observations include Hermit Thrushes, injured by colliding with buildings in the region. Birds typically migrate at night, and are easily disoriented by lights in urban areas. To protect birds of all forms, learn more about our Lights Out initiative here, and try to turn off all non-essential lights from March 1 – June 15.
Sources: AllAboutBirds.org
Photos: Dave Fox, Barbara Levy, Ann Kramer
