Photo: Matt Reinbold from Bismarck, ND, USA / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Swainson’s Thrush
Catharus ustulatus
Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 19 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) is a member of the Turdidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 30.3 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Turdidae Thrushes
- Genus Catharus
- Species ustulatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 30.3 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Turdidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Swainson’s Thrush is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Swainson’s Thrush is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) is a species of bird in the Turdidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across North America. Its distribution covers NA widespread.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 30.3 g, with a wing length of about 9.7 cm and a tail of around 6.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 489,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Swainson’s Thrush?
The Swainson’s Thrush is a small bird that weighs around 30.3 g.
Where does the Swainson’s Thrush live?
The Swainson’s Thrush is found across North America with a range covering NA widespread, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Swainson’s Thrush belong to?
The Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) belongs to the Turdidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Swainson’s Thrush eat?
The Swainson’s Thrush is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Swainson’s Thrush migrate?
The Swainson’s Thrush is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Swainson’s Thrush endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Swainson’s Thrush make?
1 real field recording of the Swainson’s Thrush — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Swainson’s Thrush's range?
The Swainson’s Thrush has a mapped global range of about 489,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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