Birds of Central Oklahoma

All birds Thrushes and Allies

Swainson's Thrush, adult
Adult Photo by Paul Danese. CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Swainson's Thrush

Catharus ustulatus

Passes through in April to May.

Recorded by AUDEVARD Aurélien. CC BY-NC-SA 4.0, via xeno-canto, trimmed and volume evened out.

Look for

  1. A bold tan ring around each eye. It makes the bird look alert, or a little startled.
  2. An olive-brown back.
  3. Tan on the sides of its chest.

A little about it

Swainson's Thrushes pass through here in spring. Look for them in April and May. May has the most.

They fly mostly at night. On clear spring nights, you may hear their calls from high overhead.

They like to hide in thick bushes, but they slip out into trees to pick berries. On the ground and up in the trees, they hunt for beetles, ants, caterpillars, crickets, moths, and spiders. In summer, more than 1/3 of what they eat is berries and fruit.

They nest far up north and in the mountains, and they spend the winter in tropical forests. The female builds a bulky cup nest on a branch, often 2 to 10 feet up. She lays 3 or 4 pale blue eggs with brown spots.

Fun fact

When another bird comes into his space, a male Swainson's Thrush smooths his feathers down flat. Then he points his bill straight up at the sky.

When it's here

Taller bars mean more sightings. Most often seen in May.

More birds passing through in spring and fall

How big

SparrowRobinCrowGoose

6 to 7 inches. Bigger than a sparrow, but smaller than a robin.

Where to look

Woods and parks with thick bushes. Check trees and bushes that have berries on them.

  • In the woods
  • Yards and parks

People have spotted it at Martin Park Nature Center, Lake Thunderbird State Park.

Could it be something else?

  • Hermit Thrush

    Very close in size and color. Look at the tail. A Hermit Thrush has a red-brown tail that's brighter than its back. Hermit Thrushes are here in the cold months, from October to April.

Where these facts come from