An immature thrush (Central Park)
By Charlie • October 21, 2007 • 10 commentsWhen I was in Central Park yesterday I saw a thrush that - at the time - confused me: Mike had already gone home so I couldn’t confer with him, and now that I’ve had a look at the photos I manged to grab before it disappeared and have had a chance to read through some reference books, I’m - er, still confused actually. Would any NY or eastern North American birders care to help me out?
The three thrush species present in the Park that Mike and I saw were Hermit, Wood, and American Robin (which would be the “correct” thrushes for mid/late October). Clearly the bird in the photos is not a Robin, which leaves just Hermit or Wood (or another species I haven’t considered, though I can’t imagine what). An immature - the bird has pale/buffy tips to both the median and greater coverts - the reddish tail should presumably rule out any other Catharus (except maybe Bicknell’s, which I’ve virtually no experience of). The pattern and shape of the breast spots suggests Wood Thrush (immatures are said to show “arrow-shaped” spots rather than the “round” spots of the adults), but I’ve not ever seen one that has such strongly marked supercilia - and can’t find a reference or image on the web to suggest that they should. Do Hermit Thrushes ever show such a strong facial pattern and such distinctive breast patterning? Maybe one of the races I’ve not come across before does, because I can honestly say that I’ve never seen one like this before in the east.
I’m not suggesting for one minute this is a rarity or anything “odd”, just musing aloud on a bird I couldn’t identify I saw in a place I really wouldn’t expect to throw up such a conundrum (I’ve probably birded more often in Central Park than I’ve birded in the UK over the last few years)…
Hopefully you US birders with far more experience than me will know in an instant what species this thrush is: I’d be very grateful for your comments and ID pointers…
• Have you seen the cool 10,000 Birds t-shirts? Get yours today! •
Charlie,
Wood Thrush, Hermit Thrush is never that stark black and white on the breast in any plumage. Plus the back doesn’t look red enough and I didn’t read anywhere about it pumping its tail.
Will: I’ve seen plenty of Hermit Thrushes that don’t pump their tails so I’m always a bit sceptical about using that as an ID feature, and oddly many of the Hermits Mike and I saw yesterday were very pale on the upperparts (we both commented on that at the time). My first reaction was Hermit thrush, but then I figured it could be a Wood Thrush but as a “darn Brit” I’m happy to say that I’ve never seen a Wood Thrush with a facial pattern like this bird or a Hermit so well marked, and I’m curious to know whether immatures of either species usually show a pattern like this?
Charlie, since I’m not an eastern birder, so anything I say will be thus qualified. But Sibleys statement about extensive intergradation in hermit thrushes may be sugnificant. Your bird as noted lacks the redness of a wood thrush, plus the spots on the wood thrush appear to extend to the flanks, but that facial pattern is indeed a puzzle for any thrush. However, everything else resembles the interior west race of the hermit. So that’s my vote, for what it’s worth (not much).
I would go with wood thrush. None of the other eastern thrushes has that strong of a contrast between a black facial pattern and reddish brown upperparts. While wood thrushes do not have a true supercilium, they do tend to have a white border between the blackish face and ruddy crown. Viewed from the front, a bird with more white than average could appear to have a supercilium.
It’s a Hermit Thrush… the spots do not go far enough down for a Wood Thrush and overall my first impression was an instant Hermit.
Thanks for the comments everyone. I’ve a feeling now that I’ve had longer to look at other images and read up a bit more that Jack is probably correct and this bird best fits a 1st year ‘Interior West’-type Hermit Thrush, particularly looking at the grey wash to the flanks and the limited extent of the streaking - though I’m still open to arguments saying otherwise, particularly as I still can’t find an image that matches such extensive supercilia.
I would agree, Hermit Thrush was my first impression too, just looking at the color of the tail compared to the body feathers.
Daniel Lane and Alvarro Jaramillo (sp?) have a great series of articles in the 2000 issues of Birding magazine about ID of Catharus and Hylocichla thrushes. I’ll see if I can find the article on Wood and Hermit Thrush and try to find mention about the supercilium.
I like your blog….
Andrew
Andrew: If you do find the article I’d be very grateful to hear back from you - thanks.
Hermit thrush, based on
1) rufous tail compared to back (top photo)
2) spotting on breast does not extend to belly (eliminates Wood thrush)
3) facial pattern - the supercilium is unusual but not unknown for HETH (see here for an example, as well as here. The paler cheek also eliminates WOTH.
Have been searching all kinds of thrushes for two days trying to find out what sort of thrush I watched for an hour at Warner Cove this June 11th. I have often seen Northern Waterthrushes there, which have a distinct gait and are smaller than this bird. It looked very similar to your photograph, only the facial markings are very distinct. It is similar to the dusky thrush which the internet says is an Alaskan variety. Like most thrushes, it was alone and did not let other birds get too close. Am going to try and find it again today, though my camera does not have a strong telephoto lens I am an able artist and will try to draw it’s markings if it is there. I could not see how far down the spotty markings went on the belly. Am new to birding, though a life-long lover of nature.