ID Keys: Grayish-brown upperparts, paler
grayish-brown breast and flanks, white throat with black
streaks, white crescent bordering lower throat, yellow eyering
The
White-throated Thrush is a medium-sized songbird found in Mexico, Central
America, and southward into Ecuador and Columbia. In the United States
they are a rare vagrants, with several sightings in far southern Texas.
The first sighting was a single bird in 1990, with another in 1998.
Additional sightings have been made in recent years. All birds that
have been seen in the U.S. occurred during the winter months. It is
thought that cold weather in their mountainous habitats of northern Mexico
sometimes drive them to lower elevations, including the lowlands of far
southern Texas. No summer records have occurred, and they are very unlikely
to actually breed in the Untied States. They were once known as
"White-throated Robin", a name that confused the species with another
similar-named species from Europe.
Habitat
Can be found in a variety of forested
habitats in its native range, including tropical and subtropical dry or
moist forests. They are often found in montane forest areas.
Diet
Feeds on insects and other small
invertebrates, fruits and berries.
Behavior
White-throated Thrush may forage
anywhere from ground level to high in the forest canopy, depending upon what
food source they are after. Foraging for insects and other
invertebrates often occurs on or near the ground, although they may also
glean insects from vegetation up in the forest canopy.
Nesting
The nest is a cup built of grasses, moss,
rootlets, and other vegetative material, bound together with mud and lined
with finer material. The female lays between 2 and 4 eggs, and she
alone incubates them. The eggs hatch after about 2 weeks, and both
parents help to raise and feed the young. The young fledge about 2
weeks after hatching.
Song
The song is described as being similar to an
American Robin.
Migration
In their native range they are
considered permanent residents. However, colder weather in winter may
drive some birds in montane habitats down to lower elevations.
Feeders
They will occasionally attend feeders
for offered fruits or nut meal.
The combination of the bold yellow eye-ring and obvious throat pattern make
the White-throated Thrush distinctive if seen well.
Clay-colored Thrush, another rare
visitor to the United States, is the species it's perhaps most likely to be
confused with.
