# Bicknell's Thrush (*Catharus bicknelli*) Bicknell's Thrush is a small, shy bird that loves to sing in the mountains. It has a beautiful, soft brown color and is often found hiding in the bushes. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Mountain regions ![Bicknell's Thrush](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Catharus_bicknelli%252C_Cannon_Mountain%252C_NH.jpg&width=800) Photo: Phillip Kenny, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Catharus_bicknelli%252C_Cannon_Mountain%252C_NH.jpg) ## Appearance The Bicknell's Thrush is a small, secretive songbird with olive-brown upperparts and a grayish-brown head, which subtly blends into a paler throat. It has a distinctive pale eye-ring and grayish flanks, setting it apart from similar thrushes. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Turdidae - **Genus:** Catharus ## Interesting facts - It often builds its nest deep inside dense conifer branches, making it super hard to find! - Male thrushes sometimes help raise two families with different females in one summer! - Scientists use tiny backpacks to track their amazing long-distance flights. - This bird's favorite winter vacation spot is the misty cloud forests of Hispaniola. ## Special abilities - **Mountain Master:** Bicknell's Thrush can thrive in high-altitude, cold spruce-fir forests because of its specialized adaptations. - **Secretive Songster:** Bicknell's Thrush has a complex, flute-like song that helps it communicate through dense forest at dawn and dusk. - **Island Hopper:** Bicknell's Thrush can migrate thousands of kilometers across open ocean to specific Caribbean islands. - **Mist Dweller:** Bicknell's Thrush has adapted to live year-round in misty cloud forests, both breeding and wintering. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 16-18 cm - **Wingspan:** 28-30 cm - **Weight:** 0.025-0.03 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-7 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-4 - **Incubation:** 12-14 days - **Migration Distance:** 3500 km ## Diet & Feeding This small bird enjoys a mix of tasty insects, spiders, and juicy berries depending on the season! - **Age differences:** Yes, adults eat more insects during breeding for protein and more fruits for energy during migration and winter. - **Primary Foods:** Beetles, Ants, Caterpillars, Spiders, Wild berries - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Sharp-shinned Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sharp-shinned-hawk) (*Accipiter striatus*) — Quick hawks sometimes hunt it in its dense forest home. - **Eaten by:** [Deer Mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/deer-mouse) (*Peromyscus maniculatus*) — Small mice can raid nests for precious eggs or tiny chicks. - **Eats:** American Elderberry (*Sambucus canadensis*) — Feeds on sweet berries from this plant in fall for energy. - **Shelter:** [Red Spruce](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-spruce) (*Picea rubens*) — Builds its hidden nest deep within spruce tree branches for safety. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Threatened](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/threatened): Threatened status denotes a species likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future without effective conservation interventions. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and be quiet so you don't scare them away. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Bicknell's Thrush? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Bicknell's Thrush? 16-18 cm ### What is Bicknell's Thrush's wingspan? 28-30 cm ### How much does Bicknell's Thrush weigh? 0.025-0.03 kg ### How long does Bicknell's Thrush live? 3-7 years ### How fast can Bicknell's Thrush move? 40 km/h ### What does Bicknell's Thrush eat? This small bird enjoys a mix of tasty insects, spiders, and juicy berries depending on the season! ### Where is Bicknell's Thrush usually found? Mountain regions ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Bicknell's Thrush: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bicknells-thrush)