Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 6.3–6.7 in
16–17 cm - Weight
- 0.9–1.1 oz
26–30 g
Other Names
- Grive à joues grises (French)
- Zorzal cara gris (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- Gray-cheeked and Bicknell's thrushes were only recently recognized as separate species. Most of the information published in the last century on "Gray-cheeked Thrush" concerned the Bicknell's Thrush instead of the Gray-cheeked. Although Gray-cheeked Thrush has a much larger range across North America, the Bicknell's Thrush's small range is closer to centers of human population, and therefore is the more accessible species.
Habitat
Forest
- Breeds in areas with closed canopy of small shrubs and a dense understory, up to the edge of the tundra.
- Winters in the understory of tropical forests.
- On migration it uses wooded sites with a thick understory.
Food
Insects
Insects and other arthropods, fruit.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 3–5 eggs
- Egg Description
- Light greenish blue marked with brown blotches around larger end.
- Condition at Hatching
- Helpless.
Nest Description
Open cup of twigs and stems lined with moss and grass. Nest placed in crotches of branches of shrubs, or on ground.
Nest Placement
Shrub
Behavior
Ground Forager
Conservation
Least Concern
Breeding areas are remote. The species is not listed as threatened.
Credits
- Lowther, P., C. C. Rimmer, B. Kessel, S. L. Johnson, and W. G. Ellison. 2001. Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus). In The Birds of North America, No. 591 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.