The Veery 



By T. Gilbert Pearson 



The Thrushes are rated very high as song-birds, and each has a song so 

 distinct in itself that, once perfectly heard, it need never be forgotten nor 

 confused with the song of any other. One of America's most popular members 

 of this family is the Tawny or Wilson's Thrush, usually known as the Veery. 

 It was called Wilson's Thrush by Prince Lucien Bonaparte, who was a great 

 admirer of Alexander Wilson, and the editor of his "Ornithology." The name 

 "Veery" is an imitation of its ringing call. To the novice in bird-study the va- 

 rious small Thrushes are somewhat confusing. The Veery has often been mis- 

 taken for the Wood Thrush, despite the difference that the latter has distinct 

 rounded black spots on its breast, and the Veery has small and somewhat indis- 

 tinct arrow-shaped spots on its breast and sides. 



There is no mistaking the Veery's song, however. It is one of the most 

 melodious notes of the northern woodlands, and during the spring migration is 

 frequently heard on still days in the forests and groves of the South. It begins 

 singing shortly after its arrival in May and usually stops early in July. There 

 have been many attempts to describe the Veery's song, and numerous writers have 

 tried to spell it out in words. To my mind all such attempts are woefully inade- 

 quate. Perhaps the best description of its song is that given by Ridgway, who 

 refers to it as "an inexpressible, delicate, metallic utterance of the syllables ta-weel- 

 ah, tzvil-ah, twil-ah, accompanied by a fine trill." The first part of the song is 

 louder than the ending — in fact the song seems to start off with a burst of energy 

 which diminishes before the end of the performance. To me the song has always 

 suggested a sort of etherial trill, as if the notes came through a spiral, silvery pipe, 

 and there is something suggesting infinite space and vast distance in their exquisite 

 quality. Although the song carries well, it frequently happens that when one is 

 near the performer, but does not see it, one may think the bird a considerable dis- 

 tance away. 



The Olive-backed Thrush has a song which may be described as a poor 

 imitation of that of the Veery, but once listen to a Veery on a long summer even- 

 ing and you will never afterward mistake the Ohve-backed Thrush for the Veery. 



This bird knows well how to hide her nest and unless, perchance, you should 

 see her carrying building-materials, or should discover one of the parents taking 

 food to the young, you are not likely to learn her secret. Probably the majority 

 of nests that are seen are found by flushing the bird from her eggs as the observer 

 makes his way through the woodland. 



On June 18, 1914, I found myself in a good Veery country along the western 

 shore of Lake Champlain. The constant singing of these Thrushes, especially in 

 the early morning and late afternoon and evening, awakened a strong desire to 

 learn more of the private life of these particular birds. Just as you always feel 

 that you know a man better after having seen his home, so do you feel on much 



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