BFL: Species Accounts: Identification Guide to North American Forest Thrushes

Species	Upperparts	Throat/Breast	Flanks	Eye-ring	Vocalization	Nest
Veery	uniform reddish-brown (East) reddish-olive (West)	orange hue, light spotting throat, upper breast (East) heavier spotting, slightly less orange on breast (West)	gray	indistinct, grayish	song: spirals down calls: vee-ur, veee-oo, njernt	ground, sometimes tree, <4 ft (to 25 ft)
Gray-cheeked Thrush	uniform gray-olive brownish (Newfoundland)	white, bold dark spots throat, upper breast	brownish-gray	indistinct	song: jumbled series, low trill at end calls: whee-ah, quee-a	ground or tree, 2-6 ft (to 20 ft)
Bicknell’s Thrush	olive-brown back, slightly reddish tail and primaries	yellow tinge, bold dark spots throat, upper breast	brownish-gray	indistinct	song: like GCTH, higher trill at end calls: whee-ah, quee-a	tree, 2-6 ft (to 25 ft)
Swainson’s Thrush	uniform olive (East) uniform reddish (Pacific)	buffy, dark spots throat, upper breast	brownish-gray	bold, buffy	song: spirals up calls: feee-ee, spring peeper, whit	tree, 4-7 ft (6-60 ft)
Hermit Thrush	reddish-tail, brownish-gray back (paler-West)	buffy, dark spots throat, upper breast (East) white, dark spots throat, upper breast (West) buffy, dark spots throat, upper breast (Pacific)	buff-brown (East) grayish (West) grayish (Pacific)	white, conspicuous	song: long introductory note calls: chup, wee-er	mostly ground (East) tree (West), 2-8 ft (1.5-30 ft)
Wood Thrush	reddish-head, olive-brown back	white, large black spots on breast and belly	white, large black spots	white, bold	song: flute-like, ee-oh-lay calls: wik,wik,wik, wik,wik	tree, 10-13 ft (2-70 ft)
Varied Thrush	grayish-blue, orange wing bars	orange, black breast band	orange	none	song: single notes, long pauses in-between calls: chook, ringing whistles	tree, 6-20 ft