I 
THE THRUSH FAMILY 
(Turdide) * 
Tus family is named after the thrushes, but 
our familiar robin belongs to it, and also the 
sweet-voiced bluebird. The birds of this family 
are all rather good sized, and excepting the blue- 
bird show no bright colors. Nearly all of them 
have spotted breasts when young, and many of 
them keep the spots all their lives. Young rob- | 
ins and bluebirds have spots on breasts and shoul- 
ders, but when they get their grown-up plumage 
there are none to be seen. 
The thrush family get around by hopping, and 
do not walk, though some of them run, as you 
have seen the robin do on the lawn. Most of 
them live in the woods, and feed on the ground, 
and all of them eat insects. Because their feed- 
ing grounds freeze up in winter, most of these 
birds go to a warmer climate, or migrate. They 
are all good singers, and some of them among 
the best in America. 
1 See Appendix, 1. 
