Catharus minimus
The Grey-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus) is a medium-sized songbird, measuring 16-18 cm (6.3-7.1 in) in length with a weight of 26-30 grams (0.9-1.1 oz). Its plumage is characterized by a drab olive-brown back and crown, contrasting with a clean white belly and a faint dusky wash on the flanks. A key identification feature, differentiating it from similar Catharus thrushes, is the absence of a prominent eye-ring and a distinctive, subtly grayish wash on its cheeks, which gives the species i...
Breeds in dense coniferous or mixed boreal forests, often in damp or boggy areas at higher latitudes or elevations. Winters in humid montane and lowland forests, often near water, in tropical South America.
Primarily insectivorous during the breeding season, consuming beetles, ants, caterpillars, and spiders. In fall and winter, their diet shifts significantly to include a variety of small berries and fruits.
Grey-cheeked Thrushes are primarily diurnal, though highly secretive and often remain hidden in dense undergrowth, especially during breeding. They are ground foragers, gleaning insects and other invertebrates from leaf litter, but also perform short aerial sallies to catch flying insects. Males ...
The Grey-cheeked Thrush boasts an extensive breeding range across northern North America, encompassing Alaska, most of Canada's boreal forest, and extending south into northern New England and the Adirondack Mountains of New York. Its wintering grounds are located exclusively in northern South Am...
Least Concern
- The Grey-cheeked Thrush is one of the longest-distance migrants among North American songbirds, traveling thousands of miles between its boreal breeding grounds and South American wintering grounds. - It was historically considered the same species as Bicknell's Thrush, only being recognized as...