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Thrushes

Thrushes, comprising the family Turdidae, are small to medium-sized, ground-dwelling birds found across the globe. They were historically a larger group before taxonomic revisions placed chats and European robins with Old World flycatchers. Thrushes have soft, often speckled plumage in shades of grey and brown and vary in size, with the petite shortwings at 12 cm and the great thrush as the largest, potentially surpassed by the Amami thrush. Their diet is primarily insects, worms, land snails, and fruit like berries. Many thrush species reside permanently in warmer areas while others migrate long distances for summer breeding. They construct cup-shaped nests, usually on branches (except bluebirds, which prefer holes), and may produce multiple clutches of speckled eggs per year, with both parents caring for the offspring. Thrushes play a crucial role in ecosystem recovery by dispersing plant seeds—some species even carry seeds over ocean barriers, enhancing the genetic diversity of flora. The family's taxonomy has evolved, with several genera reclassified to Muscicapidae and the genus Cochoa moved to Turdidae, resulting in a total of 175 thrush species in 17 genera. Historically part of European culinary traditions, thrushes were prepared in various local dishes but are now rarely consumed.

Regions

A photo of a American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

American Robin

Turdus migratorius

Aztec Thrush

Ridgwayia pinicola

Bicknell's Thrush

Catharus bicknelli
A photo of a Blackbird (Turdus merula) , male

Blackbird

Turdus merula

Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush

Catharus mexicanus

Brown-backed Solitaire

Myadestes occidentalis
A photo of a Clay-colored Thrush (Turdus grayi)

Clay-colored Thrush

Turdus grayi
A photo of a Dusky Thrush (Turdus eunomus)

Dusky Thrush

Turdus eunomus
A photo of a Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) , male

Eastern Bluebird

Sialia sialis
A photo of a Eyebrowed Thrush (Turdus obscurus)

Eyebrowed Thrush

Turdus obscurus
A photo of a Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)

Fieldfare

Turdus pilaris
A photo of a Grey-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus)

Grey-cheeked Thrush

Catharus minimus
A photo of a Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)

Hermit Thrush

Catharus guttatus
A photo of a Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides) , male

Mountain Bluebird

Sialia currucoides

Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush

Catharus aurantiirostris
A photo of a Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus)

Red-legged Thrush

Turdus plumbeus
A photo of a Redwing (Turdus iliacus)

Redwing

Turdus iliacus
A photo of a Rufous-backed Thrush (Turdus rufopalliatus)

Rufous-backed Thrush

Turdus rufopalliatus
A photo of a Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)

Song Thrush

Turdus philomelos
A photo of a Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)

Swainson's Thrush

Catharus ustulatus
A photo of a Townsend's Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi)

Townsend's Solitaire

Myadestes townsendi
A photo of a Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius) , male

Varied Thrush

Ixoreus naevius
A photo of a Veery (Catharus fuscescens)

Veery

Catharus fuscescens
A photo of a Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) , male

Western Bluebird

Sialia mexicana

White-throated Thrush

Turdus assimilis
A photo of a Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)

Wood Thrush

Hylocichla mustelina
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