Fauna Flora Photography

Swainson's Thrush, Olive-backed thrush Catharus ustulatus

A small bird, active on the ground, that feeds on insects, other invertebrates and fruits. Swainson's Thrush undertakes a long migration journey as it travels every year until Bolivia and Argentina, South America.

Taxonomy

Aves > Passeriformes > Turdidae

Names in different Languages

GermanZwergdrossel
EnglishSwainson's Thrush, Olive-backed thrush
FrenchGrive à dos olive
SpanishZorzalito de Swainson

How to Identify

A bit larger than the small birds, about the size of a Red-winged Blackbird. I look at the colour of the tail to distinguish this bird from a close relative the Hermit Thrush. The Swainson's Thrush's olive color of the back is uniform and extends to the tail wings.

Where When to Spot

I saw this bird during spring migration in Tadoussac, May 2018, in large numbers feeding within bushes and trees along the coast.

SpringSummerFallWinter
Belvédère Outremont 2 0 0 0
Tadoussac 1 0 0 0
  3 0 0 0

Number of times a species has been observed, identified, and recorded. A species is reported only once per visit to a park.

Photos of Swainson's Thrush


Last updated on 2023-03-08. Written and regularly updated by Karl-Heinz Müller, Dipl. Natw. ETH, Biology. With 10 years of experience in wildlife photography, Karl-Heinz shares first-hand, on-site collected observations, photos and videos from his frequent visits to parks in the Montreal area.