Brown, Olive or Grayish Brown, and Brown and Gray Sparrowy Birds 



Bradford Torrey, who heard it singing in the White Mountains, 

 describes the song as like the thrush's in quality, but differently 

 accented : " IVee-o-wee-o-tit-ti-wee-o ! " 



In New England and New York this thrush is most often 

 seen during its autumn migrations. As it starts up and perches 

 upon a low branch before you, it appears to have longer legs and 

 a broader, squarer tail than its congeners. 



Olive-backed Thrush 



(Turdus ustulatus swauisonii ) Thrush family 



Called also: SWAINSON'S THRUSH 



Length — 7 to 7.50 inches. About one-fourth smaller than the 



robin. 

 Male and Female — Upper parts olive-brown. Whole throat and 



breast yellow-buff, shading to ashy on sides and to white 



underneath. Buff ring around eye. Dark streaks on sides 



of throat (none on centre), and larger, more spot-like marks 



on breast. 

 Range — North America to Rockies ; a few stragglers on Pacific 



slope. Northward to arctic countries. 

 Migrations — April. October. Summer resident in Canada. 



Chiefly a migrant in United States. 



Mr. Parkhurst tells of finding this "the commonest bird in 

 the Park (Central Park, New York), not even excepting the robin," 

 during the last week of May on a certain year ; but usually, it 

 must be owned, we have to be on the lookout to find it, or it 

 will pass unnoticed in the great companies of more conspicuous 

 birds travelling at the same time. White-throated sparrows 

 often keep it company on the long journeys northward, and they 

 may frequently be seen together, hopping sociably about the 

 garden, the thrush calling out a rather harsh note — ptth ! ptik ! — 

 quite different from the liquid, mellow calls of the other thrushes, 

 to resent either the sparrows' bad manners or the inquisitiveness 

 of a human disturber of its peace. But this gregarious habit and 

 neighborly visit end even before acquaintance fairly begins, and 

 the thrushes are off for their nesting grounds in the pine woods 

 of New England or Labrador if they are travelling up the east 

 coast, or to Alaska, British Columbia, or Manitoba if west of the 



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