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Wood Thrush

(Hylocichla mustelina)
Banded August 8, 1997 - Carmel, Indiana

General Information

The Wood Thrush is a Neotropical Migrant resident in Central America from Mexico to Panama. During the breeding season, it extends its range into the eastern half of North America and Canada. The clear, deliberate flutelike notes, sounding like ee-o-lay, are commonly heard in woodlots and forests announcing its spring arrival.

Figures 1 through 3 show different views of an after hatch year adult. Note the rust color on the head and neck. Figure 4 shows the bold round black spots on the breast and flank. Figure 5 shows the upper wing coverts and Figure 6 the amount of wear on the flight feathers. Flight feather molt can be seen in Figure 7 and 8 where the shorter new primary feather is growing in. In symmetrical molt, flight feathers are replaced sequentially in pairs as the bird loses and grows in the same feather on each wing. Finally, Figure 9 shows the worn condition of the Rectrices or tail feathers.

Figure 1 - AHY Adult

Figure 2 - AHY Adult

Figure 3 - AHY Adult

Figure 4 - Flank

Figure 5 - Upper Wing

Figure 6 - FF Wear

Figure 7 - FF Molt

Figure 8 - FF Molt

Figure 9 - Rectrices

Nesting Behavior

The Wood Thrush usually selects a moist deciduous woodland near water to build a cup nest of weeds, grasses, mud and dead leaves. The nest is located from just above the ground up to 60 feet in a tree or sapling. Three of four light greenish-blue eggs are incubated by the female, and the young leave the nest by about the 13th day. A pair may raise two broods per nesting season.

Banding Recoveries

According to records at the Bird Banding Laboratory in Laurel MD, a total 101,870 Wood Thrushes have been banded since 1955. Of these, 1,091 have been recovered. This is a recovery rate of 1.07%

Conservation Status

Populations of the Wood Thrush are declining over a large portions of its breeding range. Possible factors include cowbird parasitism and loss of suitable breeding habitat.

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