Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina
Central Park, NY. 19 October 2007

The Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina breeds across most of eastern North America, ranging from the panhandle of Florida northward to southern Canada. The species generally reaches its western limit at the eastern edge of the Great Plains, although it can be found breeding along the Missouri River through central South Dakota. It winters mostly in primary, broad-leaved forests at lower elevations from southern Mexico to western Panama.

The beautiful Wood Thrush has become a symbol of the decline of Neotropical songbirds of eastern North America, having declined 43% since 1966. Along with many other species, this thrush faces threats both on its North American breeding grounds - where forest fragmentation has resulted in increased nest predation and enabled increased brood parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds - and on its Central American wintering grounds, where continued destruction of primary forest has eliminated preferred Wood Thrush wintering habitats, forcing the birds to choose secondary habitats where mortality rates are higher.

This bird was photographed on a dismally grey day near Belvedere Castle in New York’s Central Park: most Wood Thrushes would normally be further south by mid-October and the late date of this sighting may reflect the abnormally warm fall temperatures recorded in 2007.

 

 

 

 

 

All photographs © Charlie Moores