The Gray Cheeked Thrush (Uyiocichia aiidae) 



By W. Leon Dawson 



Lengtli : 7 to S inches. 



Range: Eastern North .Vnu-rica, west to the Phuns, Alaska and northern 

 Sil)eria. north to the Arctic Coast, south to Costa Rica. Hreeds chiefly north of 

 the United States. 



Synonym. — .Ahce's Thrush. 



Description. — Adult: .\hove, uniform dull olive-hrown : below, white, on 

 the breast and sides of throat tinged with jiinkish buff, and further marked by 

 broad, sector-shaped spots of blackish ; the sides and sometimes lower breast 

 washed w-ith dusky .gray; lores and region about angle of conmiissure distinctly 

 gray ; remaining space on side of head gray, mingled with olive-brown. Bill 

 dark brown, somewhat lighter below ; feet brown. 



Recognition Marks. — Sparrow to Chewink size; jiallid cheeks afford only 

 positive diagnostic mark; darker above and more heavily marked on breast than 

 H. fitsccsccns. 



Nesting. — Nest, of bark-strips, leaves, grasses, etc., lined with fine grasses: 

 on branches of low trees or on bushes, two to eight feet from ground. Eggs, 

 4, greenish blue, faintly sjiotted with reddish or yellowish brown. Av. size, 

 .91x.70 (23.1 xl7.S). 



All Thrushes look alike to the laxnian, and it is not perhaps to be won- 

 dered at that this species, although by no means rare, is not known to above 

 a dozen observers in the state. Alice's Thrush has the same modest ways 

 and semi-terrestrial habits which characterize the other members of the genus, 

 and while with us does little to distinguish itself from them. Like the others, it 

 has a fashion of slipping along quietly through the undergrowth, and may 

 not he observed until driven, all unconsciously perhaps, to its last ditch, where- 

 upon it flutters up into view on a post of the l)oundary fence, or hurtles back 

 wildlv over the observer's head. Tt is, perbajis, a little more deliljerate in move- 

 ment than the Olive-backed Thrush, with which it is most likely to be confounded. 



During the migrations the bird is seldom heard to utter a sound. Its 

 scolding note is described as being midway between the interrogatory whistle 

 of the Olive-backed and the ill-mannered snarl of the Wilson. Its song, too, 

 re(|uires careful distinction from the former, and hence from both. 



The breeding iiabits of the Alice Thrush are as yet imperfectly known, 

 especially in its British American range. Mr. Bradford Torrey first suspected 

 its presence in New England during the breeding season, on the strength of 

 a song heard in the White Mountains, and shortly afterward Mr. \\'illiam Brew- 

 ster confirmed the record by securing nests in the same locality. 



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