Thrushes - Biology Of Thrushes, Species Of Thrushes, Thrushes And People, Status Of North American Thrushes
wide song common
Thrushes are a diverse group of about 305 species of common, medium-sized, perching, song birds ranging from 4.5-13 in (11-33 cm) in body length in the family Turdidae. Thrushes occur world-wide in a wide range of habitats, but mostly in forests.
Some species of thrushes are common in parks and gardens containing shrubs and trees not intensively treated with insecticides. Examples of these familiar species of thrushes include robins, bluebirds, and the European song thrush and blackbird.
Additional Topics
The generalized body plan of thrushes includes relatively short wings with rounded tips, a longish, weakly forked or rounded tail, stout legs and feet, and a slender beak. Coloration ranges from all-black, through various combinations of brown, blue, red, and white. The juveniles of most species have spotted breasts, as do the adults of some species. Many thrushes are accomplished singers, with re…
Robins are among the world's better known thrushes. The American robin (Turdus migratorius) is probably the native bird with which North Americans are most commonly familiar. The American robin has a brick-red breast and slate-grey back and is very widespread, breeding from the northern limit of trees and tall shrubs, through to southern Mexico. The American robin utilizes a wide range of n…
Because species of thrushes are among the more familiar and well appreciated native birds, they are an important component of the aesthetic environment. This is true of both natural habitats and managed habitats, such as gardens and parks. As such, the activities and songs of a number of species of thrushes provide people with a meaningful link to the more natural aspects of the human experience. …
See also Blackbirds. Brooke, M., and T. Birkhead, eds. The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Ornithology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991. Ehrlich, Paul R., David S. Dobkin, and Darryl Wheye. The Birder's Handbook. New York: Simon & Schuster Inc., 1988. Forshaw, Joseph. Encyclopedia of Birds. New York: Academic Press, 1998. Peterson, Roger Tory. North American Birds. Houghton Mif…
Citing this material
Please include a link to this page if you have found this material useful for research or writing a related article. Content on this website is from high-quality, licensed material originally published in print form. You can always be sure you're reading unbiased, factual, and accurate information.
Highlight the text below, right-click, and select “copy”. Paste the link into your website, email, or any other HTML document.
User Comments