Hermit Thrush Sounds

Overview
ID info
Life History
Maps
Sounds

Song
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Alaska, June 28, 2006Recorded by Gerrit Vyn | Macaulay Library
Calls
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West Virginia, November 19, 2000Recorded by Wil Hershberger | Macaulay Library
Calls
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California, June 18, 1956Recorded by William R. Fish | Macaulay Library
Calls
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Arizona, May 28, 1999Recorded by Geoffrey A. Keller | Macaulay Library
Calls
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Maine, August 02, 2008Recorded by Hope Batcheller | Macaulay Library

Sounds provided by Macaulay Library.
Listen to more sounds of this species from the ML archive.

Songs

The Hermit Thrush’s beautiful, haunting song begins with a sustained whistle and ends with softer, echo-like tones, described as oh, holy holy, ah, purity purity eeh, sweetly sweetly. It pauses between each phrase, and the song is about 1.5 seconds long. Hermit Thrushes also deliver an extremely faint “whisper song” in spring.

Calls

The Hermit Thrush's most frequently heard call is a low-pitched tchup or quoit to signal attack or escape and a Cedar Waxwing-like eeee when in danger. Adults may tell their young to stay still with a two-syllable chuck and lisp.

Other Sounds

During territorial displays Hermit Thrushes may snap their bills loudly or make a whistling sound with their wings while in flight. Their feet can produce rattlesnake-like sounds as they scratch in vegetation for food.