_Turdus mustelinus_, WILSON, Amer. Ornithology, V, 1812, 98, pl. 43
(not of GMELIN).
_Turdus fuscescens_, STEPHENS, Shaw’s Gen. Zoöl. Birds, X, I, 1817,
182. CAB. Jour. 1855, 470 (Cuba).—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858,
214.—IB. Rev. Am. B. 1864, 17.—GUNDI. Repertorio, 1865, 228
(Cuba, not rare). PELZELN, Orn. Bras. II, 1868, 92. (San Vicente,
Brazil, December.)—SAMUELS, 150.—SCLATER, P. Z. S. 1859,
326.—IB. Catal. Am. Birds, 1861, 2, No. 10. _Turdus silens_,
VIEILL. Encyclop. Méth. II, 1823, 647 (based on _T. mustelinus_,
WILS.). _Turdus wilsonii_, BON. Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 73. _Turdus
minor_, D’ORB. La Sagra’s Cuba, Ois. 1840, 47, pl. v (Cuba).
SP. CHAR. Above, and on sides of head and neck, nearly uniform light
reddish-brown, with a faint tendency to orange on the crown and tail.
Beneath, white; the fore part of the breast and throat (paler on the
chin) tinged with pale brownish-yellow, in decided contrast to the
white of the belly. The sides of the throat and the fore part of the
breast, as colored, are marked with small triangular spots of light
brownish, nearly like the back, but not well defined. There are a few
obsolete blotches on the sides of the breast (in the white) of pale
olivaceous; the sides of the body tinged with the same. Tibiæ white.
The lower mandible is brownish only at the tip. The lores are
ash-colored, the orbital region grayish. Length, 7.50; wing, 4.25;
tail, 3.20; tarsus; 1.20.
HAB. Eastern North America, Halifax to Fort Bridger, and north to Fort
Garry. Cuba, Panama, and Brazil (winter). Orizaba (winter), SUMICHRAST.
HABITS. This species is one of the common birds of New England, and is
probably abundant in certain localities throughout all the country
east of the Rocky Mountains, as far to the north as the 50th parallel,
and possibly as far as the wooded country extends. Mr. Maynard did not
meet with it in Northern New Hampshire. Mr. Wm. G. Winton obtained its
nest and eggs at Halifax, N. S.; Mr. Boardman found them also on the
Gulf of St. Lawrence, and at St. Stephen’s, N. B.; Mr. Couper at
Quebec; Mr. Krieghoff at Three Rivers, Canada; Donald Gunn at Selkirk
and Red River; and Mr. Kumlien and Dr. Hoy in Wisconsin. Mr.
McIlwraith also gives it as common at Hamilton, West Canada. It breeds
as far south as Pennsylvania, and as far to the west as Utah, and
occurs, in the breeding season, throughout Maine, New Brunswick, Nova
Scotia, and Canada.
Mr. Ridgway found this thrush very abundant among the thickets in the
valleys of the Provo, Weber, and Bear rivers, in Utah, and very
characteristic of those portions of the country.
It arrives in Massachusetts early in May, usually with the first
blossoms of the pear, ranging from the 5th to the 20th. It is strictly
of woodland habits, found almost entirely among clumps of trees, and
obtaining its food from among their branches, or on the ground among
the fallen leaves. It moves south from the 10th to the 25th of
September, rarely remaining till the first week in October.
It is timid, distrustful, and retiring; delighting in shady ravines,
the edges of thick close woods, and occasionally the more retired
parts of gardens; where, if unmolested, it will frequent the same
locality year after year.
The song of this thrush is quaint, but not unmusical; variable in its
character, changing from a prolonged and monotonous whistle to quick
and almost shrill notes at the close. Their melody is not unfrequently
prolonged until quite late in the evening, and, in consequence, in
some portions of Massachusetts these birds are distinguished with the
name of Nightingale,—a distinction due rather to the season than to
the high quality of their song. Yet Mr. Ridgway regards it, as heard
by himself in Utah, as superior in some respects to that of all others
of the genus, though far surpassed in mellow richness of voice and
depth of metallic tone by that of the Wood Thrush (_T. mustelinus_).
To his ear there was a solemn harmony and a beautiful expression which
combined to make the song of this surpass that of all the other
American Wood Thrushes. The beauty of their notes appeared in his ears
“really inspiring; their song consisting of an inexpressibly delicate
metallic utterance of the syllables _ta-weel´ ah, ta-weel´ ah, twil´
ah, twil´ ah_, accompanied by a fine trill which renders it truly
seductive.” The last two notes are said to be uttered in a soft and
subdued undertone, producing thereby, in effect, an echo of the
others.
The nest is always placed near the ground, generally raised from it by
a thick bed of dry leaves or sticks; sometimes among bushes, but never
in the fork of a bush or tree, or if so, in very rare and exceptional
cases. When incubation has commenced, the female is reluctant to leave
her nest. If driven off she utters no complaint, but remains close at
hand and returns at the first opportunity.
They construct their nest early in May, and the young are hatched in
the latter part of that month, or the first of June. They raise two
broods in the season. The nest, even more loosely put together than
that of the Ground Swamp Robin (_T. pallasi_), is often with
difficulty kept complete. It is about 3 inches in height, 4½ in
diameter, with a cavity 1½ inches deep and 3 in width, and composed of
dry bark, dead leaves, stems, and woody fibres, intermingled with
grasses, caricas, sedges, etc., and lined with soft skeleton leaves. A
nest from Wisconsin was composed entirely of a coarse species of
_Sparganeum_; the dead stalks and leaves of which were interwoven with
a very striking effect.
The eggs, usually four, sometimes five in number, are of a uniform
green color, with a slight tinge of blue, and average .94 by .66 of an
inch in diameter.
Turdus aliciæ, BAIRD.