Thrush vs Veery - Birdbuddy WIKI

Thrush

Turdidae

How to recognise a thrush?

General appearance

Thrushes are songbirds known for their brown to blue-grey upperparts and white underparts often with spots or markings. They have medium to long tails, and their size varies from small to medium. Some species have orange or red underwings, visible in flight.

Male vs female

In many thrush species, males and females have similar plumage, making it difficult to distinguish between them. However, in some species, males may have more vivid coloration or distinctive markings compared to females. There's often sexual dimorphism in size, with males being slightly larger.

Juvenile

Juvenile thrushes can resemble their parents, but they usually have duller plumage and less clear markings or spots. They may also be slightly smaller in size until full maturity. Their bills tend to be shorter and their feathers softer and fluffier.

Size

5.7 - 13.0 in/0.8 - 5.9 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

Thrushes typically inhabit wooded areas and forests in temperate regions, often gravitating towards dense undergrowth and shrubs.

Additional range

Their range may extend to gardens, parks, and similar urban spaces. Some species adapt to arctic and alpine conditions.

Range Map

What do thrushes like to eat?

Natural diet

Thrushes primarily consume insects, worms, and other invertebrates. They forage on the ground and are known for their ability to find earthworms by sight and sound. In the summer, their diet is rich in protein sources like caterpillars, beetles, and spiders. During autumn and winter, thrushes adapt to the availability of food by eating more fruits and berries, such as holly, rowan, and blackberries.

Bird feeders

At bird feeders, thrushes are less commonly seen than other birds, but they may consume suet and various seeds if available. They are also attracted to raisins, sultanas, and chopped apples. Providing a variety of fruits can attract them, especially in colder months when natural food is scarcer.

There's more to learn about Thrush

View full details

Veery

Catharus fuscescens

Also known as: Wilson's Thrush, Tawny Thrush

How to recognise a veery?

General appearance

The veery (Catharus fuscescens) is a medium-sized thrush with warm, cinnamon-brown upperparts and a subtly spotted pale tawny breast. It has a white underbelly and distinct buffy eye-ring. Its song is a spiraling, fluty series of notes, distinctive during its breeding season.

Male vs female

The veery shows minimal sexual dimorphism, meaning males and females have very similar appearances. Both sexes share the same coloration and size, usually around 16-18 cm long with a wingspan of about 28 cm. Behavioral cues and song patterns, notable in males, are often used for differentiation.

Juvenile

Juvenile veeries resemble adults but typically exhibit more pronounced spotting on the chest. Their plumage is generally duller, aiding in camouflage. As they mature, they attain smoother, more uniform coloration. They take up the adult's distinctive appearance as they prepare for migration and the upcoming breeding seasons.

Size

6.7 - 7.1 in/0.9 - 1.4 oz

Habitat

Primary habitat

The veery primarily inhabits damp deciduous woods with dense understory and leafy low growth near water. It avoids areas with little understory, favoring denser sections of the forest along streams or clearings.

Additional range

Additional habitats include mixed or coniferous woods and open plains in the northern Great Plains. During migration, it prefers deciduous woods. In winter, the veery is found in the undergrowth of lowland tropical forests.

Range Map

What do veeries like to eat?

Natural diet

The veery primarily consumes insects and berries. During the breeding season, its diet mainly includes insects such as beetles, ants, small wasps, caterpillars, crickets, and also spiders, centipedes, snails. Occasionally, it might feed on small frogs or salamanders. In late summer and fall, berries and small fruit become the dominant part of its diet. The veery's diet during winter is not well documented.

Bird feeders

Veeries are not commonly known for visiting bird feeders, as they primarily forage for food in their natural habitat, favoring insects and fruits over typical feeder offerings.

What does a veery sound like?

The veery's vocalizations display a unique richness, often described as a downward spiral with an ethereal quality. Its song unfolds in a delicate descending swirl, creating a mesmerizing auditory experience. In addition to its song, the veery typically emits a characteristic call note, which can be represented as a gradually lowering 'whew'. This call note further adds to its mysterious and captivating aura. These innately soothing and complex songs and calls distinguish the veery, making its vocalizations remarkably pleasant and instantly recognizable.

Call

Audio by Jonathon Jongsma

/ CC BY-SA 3.0

There's more to learn about Veery

View full details

Thrush

Tap To compare

Veery

Thrush

Turdidae

General appearance

Thrushes are songbirds known for their brown to blue-grey upperparts and white underparts often with spots or markings. They have medium to long tails, and their size varies from small to medium. Some species have orange or red underwings, visible in flight.

Male vs female

In many thrush species, males and females have similar plumage, making it difficult to distinguish between them. However, in some species, males may have more vivid coloration or distinctive markings compared to females. There's often sexual dimorphism in size, with males being slightly larger.

Juvenile

Juvenile thrushes can resemble their parents, but they usually have duller plumage and less clear markings or spots. They may also be slightly smaller in size until full maturity. Their bills tend to be shorter and their feathers softer and fluffier.

Size

5.7 - 13.0 in/0.8 - 5.9 oz

There's more to learn about Thrush

View full details

Veery

Catharus fuscescens

Also known as: Wilson's Thrush, Tawny Thrush

General appearance

The veery (Catharus fuscescens) is a medium-sized thrush with warm, cinnamon-brown upperparts and a subtly spotted pale tawny breast. It has a white underbelly and distinct buffy eye-ring. Its song is a spiraling, fluty series of notes, distinctive during its breeding season.

Male vs female

The veery shows minimal sexual dimorphism, meaning males and females have very similar appearances. Both sexes share the same coloration and size, usually around 16-18 cm long with a wingspan of about 28 cm. Behavioral cues and song patterns, notable in males, are often used for differentiation.

Juvenile

Juvenile veeries resemble adults but typically exhibit more pronounced spotting on the chest. Their plumage is generally duller, aiding in camouflage. As they mature, they attain smoother, more uniform coloration. They take up the adult's distinctive appearance as they prepare for migration and the upcoming breeding seasons.

Size

6.7 - 7.1 in/0.9 - 1.4 oz

There's more to learn about Veery

View full details

How to tell the Thrush from the Veery

Visual differences

Thrushes vary widely in appearance but typically have brown to blue-grey upperparts with spotted white underparts and can be up to 13 inches long. They have medium to long tails and often exhibit red or orange underwings in flight. The Veery, about 6.7-7.1 inches long, features a warm, cinnamon-brown upper body, a subtly spotted tawny breast, and a white underbelly. Unlike general thrushes, the Veery has a distinct buffy eye-ring. Both sexes are visually similar for each bird, but Veeries are consistently smaller than many other thrush species.

Key differences and behavior

Thrushes and Veeries both prefer wooded habitats, but Thrushes are more adaptable, frequenting gardens and parks, while Veeries prefer damp, dense deciduous woods near water. Thrushes display elaborate courtship behaviors, including singing and food presentation, while Veeries use vocal duets in monogamous mating. Both build cup-shaped nests, but Thrushes nest in trees and shrubs, whereas Veeries nest low among dense underbrush. Thrushes have a mixed diet of insects, worms, and seasonal fruits, often foraging on the ground. Veeries consume a similar diet but rely more on insects during breeding. Thrushes occasionally visit bird feeders, unlike Veeries, which forage naturally. Veeries migrate nocturnally, communicating mid-flight, showing a distinctive behavioral trait.