Ixoreus naevius
The Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius) is a strikingly beautiful passerine, measuring 20-26 cm (8-10 inches) in length with a wingspan of 34-42 cm (13-17 inches) and weighing 65-100 grams. Males are instantly recognizable by their dark slate-gray back and head, bright rusty-orange underparts, and a prominent black breast band that creates a stark contrast. A distinctive orange supercilium and two bright orange wing bars further aid identification. Females exhibit similar patterns but are general...
This species primarily inhabits dense, moist coniferous or mixed forests, often near streams, ravines, or clearings, from sea level to mid-elevations.
Its diet is omnivorous, primarily consisting of insects and other invertebrates (beetles, ants, larvae, spiders) during the breeding season, supplemented with berries and fruits (huckleberries, salal, cascara) in fall and winter. They primarily forage on the ground by scratching and probing leaf ...
Varied Thrushes are primarily diurnal, often most active during crepuscular hours, foraging actively on the forest floor and roosting in dense tree cover. Their foraging strategy involves ground gleaning, probing leaf litter with their bills, and occasionally catching insects from tree branches o...
The Varied Thrush breeds across a broad swath of western North America, extending from coastal Alaska, through British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and into the mountains of northern California. Its breeding range also stretches eastward into the northern Rocky Mountains of Idaho and western Mon...
Least Concern
- The Varied Thrush is the only species in its genus, *Ixoreus*, making it a unique evolutionary branch among thrushes. - Its haunting, ethereal song is often described as one of the most beautiful and distinctive sounds of the Pacific Northwest forest. - The species' scientific name, *naevius*, ...