_Turdus mustelinus_, GMELIN, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 817.—AUDUBON, Orn.
Biog. I, 1832, 372, pl. 73.—IB. Birds Am. III, 1841, 24, pl.
144.—D’ORB. La Sagra’s Cuba Ois. 1840, 49.—BAIRD, Birds N. Am.
1858, 212.—IB. Rev. Am. Birds, 1864, 13.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1856,
294, and 1859, 325.—JONES, Nat. in Bermuda, 26.—GUNDLACH,
Repertorio, 1865, 228.—MAYNARD.—SAMUELS, 146. _Turdus melodus_,
WILS. Am. Orn. I, 1808, 35, pl. ii. _Turdus densus_, BONAP.
Comptes Rendus, XXVIII, 1853, 2.—IB. Notes Delattre, 1854, 26
(Tabasco).
Additional figures: VIEILLOT, Ois. Am. Sept. II, pl. lxii.—WILSON,
Am. Orn. I, pl. ii.
SP. CHAR. Above clear cinnamon-brown, on the top of the head becoming
more rufous, on the rump and tail olivaceous. The under parts are
clear white, sometimes tinged with buff on the breast or anteriorly,
and thickly marked beneath, except on the chin and throat and about
the vent and tail-coverts, with sub-triangular, sharply defined spots
of blackish. The sides of the head are dark brown, streaked with
white, and there is also a maxillary series of streaks on each side of
the throat, the central portion of which sometimes has indications of
small spots. Length, 8.10 inches; wing, 4.25; tail, 3.05; tarsus,
1.26. Young bird similar to adult, but with rusty yellow triangular
spots in the ends of the wing coverts.
HAB. U. S. east of Missouri plains, south to Guatemala. Bermuda (not
rare). Cuba, LA SAGRA; GUNDLACH. Honduras, MOORE. Cordova, SCL.
Orizaba (winter), SUMICHR.
HABITS. The Wood Thrush, without being anywhere a very abundant
species, is common throughout nearly every portion of the United
States between the Mississippi River and the Atlantic. It breeds in
every portion of the same extended area, at least as far as Georgia on
the south and Massachusetts on the north. Beyond the last-named State,
it rarely, if ever, breeds on the coast. In the interior it has a
higher range, nesting around Hamilton, C. W. So far as I am aware it
is unknown, or very rare, in the States of Vermont, New Hampshire, and
Maine.
It makes its appearance early in April in the Middle States, but in
New England not until four or five weeks later, appearing about the
10th of May. Their migrations in fall are more irregular, being
apparently determined by the abundance of their food. At times they
depart as early as the first of September, but sometimes not until the
last of October. It winters in Central America, where it is quite
abundant at that season.
The favorite localities of the Wood Thrush are the borders of dense
thickets, or low damp hollows shaded by large trees. Yet its habits
are by no means so retiring, or its nature so timid, as these places
of resort would lead us to infer. A small grove in Roxbury, now a part
of Boston, in close proximity to a dwelling-house, was for many years
the favorite resort of these birds, where several pairs nested and
reared their young, rarely even leaving their nests, which were mostly
in low bushes, wholly unmindful of the curious children who were their
frequent visitors. The same fearless familiarity was observed at Mount
Auburn, then first used as a public cemetery. But in the latter
instance the nest was always placed high up on a branch of some
spreading tree, often in conspicuous places, but out of reach. Mr. J.
A. Allen refers to several similar instances where the Wood Thrush did
not show itself to be such a recluse as many describe it. In one case
a pair built their nest within the limits of a thickly peopled
village, where there were but few trees, and a scanty undergrowth. In
another a Wood Thrush lived for several successive summers among the
elms and maples of Court Square in the city of Springfield, Mass.,
undisturbed by the passers by or the walkers beneath, or the noise and
rattle of the vehicles on the contiguous streets.
The song of this thrush is one of its most remarkable and pleasing
characteristics. No lover of sweet sounds can have failed to notice
it, and, having once known its source, no one can fail to recognize it
when heard again. The melody is one of great sweetness and power, and
consists of several parts, the last note of which resembles the
tinkling of a small bell, and seems to leave the conclusion suspended.
Each part of its song seems sweeter and richer than the preceding.
The nest is usually built on the horizontal branch of a small
forest-tree, six or eight feet from the ground, and, less frequently,
in the fork of a bush. The diameter is about 5 inches, and the depth
3¾, with a cavity averaging 3 inches across by 2¼ in depth. They are
firm, compact structures, chiefly composed of decayed deciduous
leaves, closely impacted together, and apparently thus combined when
in a moistened condition, and afterward dried into a firmness and
strength like that of parchment. These are intermingled with, and
strengthened by, a few dry twigs, and the whole is lined with fine
roots and a few fine dry grasses. Occasionally, instead of the solid
frame of impacted leaves, we find one of solidified mud.
The eggs of the Wood Thrush, usually four in number, sometimes five,
are of a uniform deep-blue tint, with but a slight admixture of
yellow, which imparts a greenish tinge. Their average measurements are
1.00 by .75 inch.
Turdus fuscescens, STEPHENS.