347 
Subfamily — Turdinae. The True Thrushes 
Most of the typical Canadian Thrushes are easily recognized as such. 
Systematically, they are plainly marked by the number of primaries and 
the scalation of the feet. As these are rather difficult features for the 
amateur to discern, it is perhaps easier to differentiate them by other 
more striking characters that apply to the representatives of the group in 
Canada. For this purpose they may be divided into the Thrushes proper 
and the American Robin, including the Varied Thrush and the Bluebirds. 
The Thrushes proper are medium-sized birds, brown above and white 
below, with the breast more or less spotted, except one species, the Veery, 
conspicuously so. Any Canadian bird of this description between 6-25 
and 8-30 inches long, with the first primary very small and degenerate, 
belongs to this group. They are all ground-haunting birds and usually 
more or less solitary. Their principal food is insects and soft fruit. The 
woodland species are of little direct economic importance, although their 
influence is beneficial. All the Thrushes of this group are very sweet singers. 
756. Wilson’s Thrush (Including Willow Thrush), veery. cathedral-bird. 
Hylocichla fuscescens. L, 7-52. Plate LXXX B. Even, brown-tawny above; white 
below, with fine, blended arrowhead-spots running down from comers of mouth and 
spreading across chest. 
Distinctions. The lightest tawny of our Thrushes, with only the slightest suggestion 
of olive in the back. The faintness of the breast spotting will separate it from any com- 
parable species. 
Field Marks. The even, light coloration of the back and the light, suffused breast 
spots. The only Thrush whose song begins on a high note and ends on low ones. 
Nesting. On or near the ground, in nest of strips of bark, rootlets, and leaves, wrapped 
with leaves and lined with rootlets. 
Distribution. Southern Canada and northern United States. In Canada, across the 
Dominion. In the west, including the southern halves of the Prairie Provinces, and southern 
British Columbia exclusive of the coast. 
SUBSPECIES. Two subspecies are recognized in Canada. The eastern form, the 
Veery Hylocichla fuscescens fuscescens, extends west probably to near the Manitoba border 
and perhaps across it. From there westward the Willow Thrush Hylocichla fuscescens 
salidcola is the prevailing bird. It is slightly more olive on the back and the breast streaks 
average darker. The distinctions, however, are very slight and of little interest to the 
general observer. 
Wilson’s Thrush is the only Thrush generally distributed throughout 
well-settled parts of the country. In southern Canada wherever there is 
enough bush land to attract Thrushes, this species is present. Its song is 
a descending series of short, connected trills, “Rree-a-ree-a-ree”; some eight 
or ten syllables falling about an octave and with a tone like the jingling of 
a golden chain. Heard at sunset, with the mysterious darkening woods 
seen against the glorious skies, it has a particularly beautiful and peaceful 
appeal. It may not have the absolute perfection of the song of the Hermit 
Thrush or even of the Olive-backed and Grey-cheeked, but it is wonderfully 
delightful. 
757. Alice’s Thrush, grey-cheeked thrush. Hylocichla aliciae. L, 7-58. Plate 
LXXXI A. Even greyish olive over all back; below, white, with breast heavily spotted 
with brown. 
Distinctions. Separated from Wilson’s Thrush by the heavy instead of very light 
breast spotting and more olive cast to back; from the Hermit Thrush by the tail being 
evenly coloured with the back instead of distinctly redder. Most like the Olive-backed 
Thrnsh, from which it is best separated by the greyer cast to the cheeks in which there 
is little, if any, tawny, or suggestion of eye-ring, and a greyer tone to the breast spotting 
and flanks. 
