Bird
Swainson's Thrush
Catharus ustulatusAlso known as Olive-backed Thrush
Swainson's Thrush is a medium brown forest thrush with a warm buff eye ring, spotted breast, and slender bill. Its rising spiral song carries through shaded breeding forest, while migrants often forage quietly beneath dense cover.
Forest ThrushLong-distance MigrantFlute-like Song
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyBeetles, Caterpillars, Earthworms
Predators
- Cooper's Hawks
- Owls
- Domestic cats
ThreatsForest loss, window collisions, tower strikes, free-roaming cats, pesticides, and climate change
HabitatsConifer and mixed forest, riparian woodland, dense understory, parks, and migration stopovers
Life spanOften several years; some wild individuals live more than a decade
Classification
- FamilyTurdidae
- SpeciesCatharus ustulatus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Watch migrant thrushes quietly without pushing them from dense feeding cover.
Responsible observation
- Song: Listen for flute-like notes spiraling upward through the forest.
- Face: Look for a warm buff eye ring and buff wash on the cheeks.
- Ground: Scan shaded leaf litter without entering dense understory.
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.