Birds
Hermit Thrush
Catharus guttatus · also called hermit thrushes
A single clear, sustained note opens into a spiraling series of flute-like phrases from somewhere deep in a conifer forest, a song so widely admired that generations of naturalists have called it one of the finest in North America, produced by a plain brown bird that stays remarkably close to home all winter while its own relatives fly to the tropics.
Overview
The hermit thrush, Catharus guttatus, is a subtly patterned songbird native to coniferous and mixed forest habitat across much of Canada, the northern United States, and mountainous areas further south. Its widely celebrated flute-like song, distinctive tail-raising habit, and status as the only member of its genus that winters within North America rather than migrating to the tropics make it one of the more ecologically and acoustically distinctive forest thrushes.
A relative that never quite leaves
While its closest relatives commit to a long tropical migration each year, the hermit thrush stops considerably short, wintering within the southern United States and Mexico, a shorter journey that keeps it present somewhere in North America throughout the entire year.
Status
Least Concern — widespread and stable across suitable coniferous and mixed forest habitat throughout its extensive breeding range in North America.
Hermit Thrush: common questions
Why is the hermit thrush different from its close relatives?
Unlike other members of its genus, including the veery and Swainson's thrush, which migrate all the way to the tropics for winter, the hermit thrush winters within the southern United States and Mexico, a considerably shorter migration that allows it to be present in North America year-round, unlike its closest relatives.
What does the hermit thrush's song sound like?
It produces a clear, pure, flute-like song widely considered one of the most beautiful of any North American bird, typically opening with a single sustained note before spiraling into a series of ethereal, bell-like phrases, a song quality that has inspired poets and naturalists for generations.
Why does the hermit thrush raise and lower its tail?
This species has a distinctive habit of slowly raising its tail and then lowering it again while perched, a behaviour whose exact function is not fully understood but which is frequently observed and useful for identification, since it is a somewhat unusual and repeated motion not commonly shown by many similar-looking forest birds.
How can you tell a hermit thrush from other similar thrushes?
Look for a noticeably more reddish-brown tail contrasting against a browner back, along with the species' characteristic tail-raising behaviour while perched, two features that together help distinguish the hermit thrush from closely related species such as the veery and Swainson's thrush that share similar overall size and habitat.