The Varied Thrushes 
olives at sea-level; lace-winged flies and scarabs on ice at timberline— 
there’s an epicure for you! 
No. 151 
Varied Thrush 
A. 0 . U. No. 763. Ixoreus naevius naevius (Gmelin). 
Synonyms.— Mountain Robin. Winter Robin. Oregon Robin. Colum¬ 
bian Robin. Varied Robin. Painted Robin. 
Description. — Adult male: Above dark slate-color (plumbeous slate to blackish 
slate), sometimes, especially in winter, tinged with olivaceous; wings dusky, edged more 
or less with slaty, the flight-feathers varied sharply by ochraceous-buff, the middle and 
greater coverts tipped broadly with tawny or ochraceous, forming two conspicuous bars; 
tail blackish, the outermost of several lateral rectrices tipped with white on inner web; 
a conspicuous lateral head-stripe, originating above eye and passing backward to nape, 
ochraceous or ochraceous-buff; area on sides of head, including lores, suborbital space, 
and auriculars, black or slaty black, connected narrowly on side of neck with a conspicu¬ 
ous pectoral collar of the same shade; chin, throat, and remaining underparts tawny- 
ochraceous (raw sienna to deep mars yellow), paling on sides and flanks, where feathers 
broadly margined with slaty-gray, changing to white on abdomen; under tail-coverts 
mingled white, slaty, and ochraceous; axillars and under wing-coverts white basally, 
broadly tipped with slaty gray, and under surface of flight-feathers crossed basally by 
band of white or buffish. Bill brownish black, paling basally on mandible; feet and 
legs ochre-brown; irides brown. Adult female: Similar to adult male, but paler and 
duller; upperparts olive-slaty to olive-brownish; tawny of underparts much paler and 
pectoral collar narrower—of the shade of back or a little darker; more extensively 
white on abdomen. Young birds: Like adult female, but browner, washed with warm 
sepia above; more yellowish ochraceous below; pectoral band broader and less distinctly 
defined, composed of ochraceous feathers having darker edges; other feathers of throat 
and breast more or less tipped with olive dusky. Length of adult 241-254 (9.50- 
10.00); wing 125 (4.92); tail 87 (3.43); bill 21 (.83); tarsus 22 (.87). 
Recognition Marks. —Robin size; blackish band across chest distinctive; 
wings conspicuously varied by tawny markings; head pattern distinctive—otherwise 
very Robin-like in bearing and deportment. 
Nesting. — Nest: Of sticks, twigs, grasses, and rotten wood, smothered in moss; 
a bulky handsome structure, placed in saplings or trees at moderate heights, without 
attempt at concealment. Eggs: usually 3, rarely 4; pale to light niagara green, sparing¬ 
ly speckled or spotted, rarely blotched, with chocolate and its dilutions. Av. size 
29.5 x 2i.1 (1.16 x .83). Season: April 20-May 10, June 10-July 1; two broods. 
Range of Ixoreus ncevius. —Western North America. 
Range of I. n. ncevius. —The Pacific coastal district; breeding from Yakutat Bay, 
Alaska, south to Humboldt County, California; wintering from southern Alaska to 
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