A History of North American Birds; Land Birds; Vol. 1 of 3Baird, Spencer Fullerton
Science
A History of North American Birds; Land Birds; Vol. 1 of 3
Baird, Spencer Fullerton
Birds -- North America
As originally described, this species differs from _swainsoni_ in
larger size, longer bill, feet, and wings especially, straighter and
narrower bill. The back is of a greener olive. The breast and sides of
the head are entirely destitute of the buff tinge, or at best this is
very faintly indicated on the upper part of the breast. The most
characteristic features are seen on the side of the head. Here there
is no indication whatever of the light line from nostril to eye, and
scarcely any of a light ring round the eye,—the whole region being
grayish-olive, relieved slightly by whitish shaft-streaks on the
ear-coverts. The sides of body, axillars, and tibiæ are
olivaceous-gray, without any of the fulvous tinge seen in _swainsoni_.
The bill measures .40 from tip to nostril, sometimes more; tarsi, 1.21;
wing, 4.20; tail, 3.10,—total, about 7.50. Some specimens slightly
exceed these dimensions; few, if any, fall short of them.
In autumn the upper surface is somewhat different from that in spring,
being less grayish, and with a tinge of rich sepia or snuff-brown,
this becoming gradually more appreciable on the tail.
A specimen from Costa Rica is undistinguishable from typical examples
from the Eastern United States.
HABITS. This species, first described in the ninth volume of the
Pacific Railroad Surveys, bears so strong a resemblance to the
Olive-backed Thrush (_T. swainsoni_), that its value as a species has
often been disputed. It was first met with in Illinois. Since then
numerous specimens have been obtained from the District of Columbia,
from Labrador, and the lower Mackenzie River. In the latter regions it
was found breeding abundantly. It was also found in large numbers on
the Anderson River, but was rare on the Yukon, as well as at Great
Slave Lake, occurring there only as a bird of passage to or from more
northern breeding-grounds.
In regard to its general habits but little is known. Dr. Coues, who
found it in Labrador, breeding abundantly, speaks of meeting with a
family of these birds in a deep and thickly wooded ravine. The young
were just about to fly. The parents evinced the greatest anxiety for
the safety of their brood, endeavoring to lead him from their vicinity
by fluttering from bush to bush, constantly uttering a melancholy
_pheugh_, in low whistling tone. He mentions that all he saw uttered
precisely the same note, and were very timid, darting into the most
impenetrable thickets.
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