70 FOOD or WEST VIBGINIA BIBDS 



CHAPTER XII. 

 THE THRUSHES. 



Family Characteristics. 



This last grtfup, which we have undertaken to study, includes the 

 most perfectly developed forms of bird life, the Thrushes. In beauty 

 of song, in graceful bearing and in perfection of structure these birds are 

 entitled to their place at the top of the list. In their food-habits, too, 

 they are of very marked importance as may be noted in our detailed study 

 of the family. About six hundred species, distributed throughout many 

 parts of the world, belong to this well-known family. Of these about 

 twelve are found in the United States and six have been recorded from 

 West Virginia. The members of this group are well and . favorably 

 known. Perhaps no other group of birds contains species so well 

 loved and so fervently admired as the Thrushes. In this family are in- 

 cluded the Mavis or Throstle and the Blackbird or Merle of Europe and 

 our own Robin and Bluebird. All these are well known in the places 

 where they are to be found and are greatly admired because of their 

 musical ability. Some are very retiring in habits and are rarely found 

 outside the deep forests. Others are very familiar and may be seen in 

 great numbers about our homes. The Robin is one of our best known 

 species and comes with utmost freedom to any favorite feeding place 

 in garden, orchard or lawn. The Bluebird is not at all shy in some 

 sections and we rejoice to know that this beautiful species is still quite 

 abundant in many parts of our State. In some of our larger towns and 

 cities the Wood Thrush is also quite tame and may be seen feeding and 

 singing freely about the yards and wardens. Especially is this true of 

 Charleston, Morgantown and Fairmoiu The other Thrushes are wary 

 and are rarely observed unless one goes to their haunts in the woods. 



I 

 List of Our Species. 



The six species listed in West Virginia are the Wood Thrush (Hylo- 

 cichia mustelina), Veery or Wilson's Thrush (Hylocichla fuscescens 

 fuscescens), Olive-backed Thrush (Hylocichla ustulata suxiinsoni), Hermit 

 Thrush (Hylocichla guttata. pallasi), Robin (Plancsticus migratorius) 

 and the Bluebird (Sialia sialis sialis). Two of these are very readily 

 distinguished the one from the other. It is a part of the common 

 knowledge of almost every boy and girl in West Virginia to be able to 

 identify the Robin and the Bluebird at sight. The brickred-breasts of these 

 two birds, the azure blue of the back of one and the familiar colors 

 of the other serve to make these two familiar to all of us. But the 

 other Thrushes are not so readily distinguished. All four are brown on 

 their backs and all four have speckled breasts. To add to this con- 

 fusion the Brown Thrasher, described in the last chapter is similar in 

 its color pattern, and other species are of like coloration. One or two 

 simple rules will help greatly in the identification of these birds. All 

 are about the size of a Robin or a little less. On the backs of these four 



