Gray-cheeked Thrush
Catharus minimus
Conservation Status
Least ConcernAves · Passeriformes · Turdidae
About
The gray-cheeked thrush is a medium-sized thrush. This species is 15–17 cm (5.9–6.7 in) in length, and has the white-dark-white underwing pattern characteristic of Catharus thrushes. It is a member of a close-knit group of migrant species together with the veery and Bicknell's thrush; it forms a cryptic species pair with the latter. The gray-cheeked thrush is all but indistinguishable from Bicknell's thrush except by its slightly larger size and different song. The two were formerly considered conspecific. Of all the American spotted thrushes, the gray-cheeked has the most northern breeding range.
Fun Fact
It is a member of a close-knit group of migrant species together with the veery and Bicknell's thrush; it forms a cryptic species pair with the latter.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Range includes the northern boreal forests from Newfoundland to Alaska in North America and across the Bering Sea to Eastern Siberia associated with dense conifer and broadleaf shrub thickets.
Diet
Feeds on crayfish, sow bugs, and earthworms.
Lifespan
To be updated
Threats
- Habitat Change
- Human Disturbance