THE WOOD THRUSH 



By T. GILBERT PEARSON 



Cl^e Rational ^00octatton ot Sintmhon ^otietk0 



EDUCATIONAL LEAFLET No. 72 



Throughout the southern part of its range this bird is widely known as 

 the Wood Robin. Altogether, this is not a bad name. The Wood Thrush is 

 not far from the size of our well-known and much-beloved Redbreast, and 

 its movements when walking or hopping along the ground are strikingly sim- 

 ilar to those of this well-known species. A near approach reveals the fact that 

 the general marking, particularly the heavily spotted breast, is quite distinct. 

 At close range, therefore, there is little possibility of even the most amateur 

 student confusing the two birds in the adult plumage. The wonderfully melo- 

 dious song of this Thrush is highly characteristic. As Dr. Chapman has said, 

 "It is a message of hope and good cheer in the morning, a benediction at the 

 close of day." 



In 'Useful Birds and Their Protection,' Mr. E. H. Forbush has written: 

 "The song of the Wood Thrush is one of the finest specimens of bird music 

 that America can produce. Among all the bird songs that I have heard, it is 

 second only in quality to that of the Hermit Thrush. It is not 

 The Song projected upon the still air with the effort that characterizes the 



bold and vigorous lay of the Robin, or the loud and intermittent 

 carol of the Thrasher. Its tones are solemn and serene. They seem to harmonize 

 with the sounds of the forest, the whispering breeze, the purling water, or the 

 falling of rain-drops in the summer woods. As with most other birds, there is a 

 great difference in the excellence of individual performers, and, while some males 

 of the species can produce such notes as few birds can rival, this cannot be said 

 of all. At evening, the bird usually mounts to the higher branches of the taller 

 trees, often upon the edge of the forest, where nothing intervenes to confine 

 or subdue his 'heavenly music' There, sitting quite erect, he emits his wonder- 

 ful notes in the most leisurely fashion, and apparently with little effort. 

 A-olle, he sings, and rests; then, unhurried, pours forth a series of inter- 

 mittent strains, which seem to express in music the sentiment of nature; 

 powerful, rich, metallic, with the vanishing vibratory tones of the bell, they 

 seem like a vocal expression of the mystery of the universe, clothed in a melody 

 so pure and ethereal that the soul, still bound to its earthly tenement, can 

 neither imitate nor describe it. The song rises and falls, swells and dies away, 

 until dark night has fallen. The alarm note of the bird is a sharp pit, pit, 

 several times repeated; this alarm often rises to a long roll. A soft cluck, also 

 repeated, is sometimes heard. A mellow, rather liquid chirp is another common 

 note." 



(68) . 



