Bicknell's Thrush vs Yellow-throated Nightingale-Thrush

Bicknell's Thrush

Catharus bicknelli

Small28 gForest

Bicknell's thrush is just slightly smaller than the other northern migratory Catharus thrushes, with an average length of approximately 17 cm (6.7 in) and a weight ranging generally from 26 to 30g. Both sexes are identical in the field and are roughly the same size, although males average slightly larger in wing length. Adults are olive-brown to brownish on the upperparts (head, nape, back) contrasting with chestnut-tinged tail. The contrast is, however, less evident in worn plumage. Voice: Vocalizing mostly at dawn and dusk, the song is mostly performed by the male, but sometimes also by females. Like all North American thrushes, Bicknell's thrush song is flute-like. High pitched and vibrant, the song is composed of four phrases: "chook-chook, wee-o, wee-o, wee-o-ti-t-ter-ee". Unlike in the gray-cheeked thrush, the pitch of the last phrase is constant or rising.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recorded by Killian Sullivan · Wilmington, Essex County, New York, United States · CC0

Photo: Ryan F. Mandelbaum · CC BY 4.0

Yellow-throated Nightingale-Thrush

Catharus dryas

Small38 gForest

The yellow-throated nightingale-thrush is 17 to 19 cm (6.7 to 7.5 in) long and weighs 36 to 44 g (1.3 to 1.6 oz). Adult males of the nominate subspecies C. d. dryas have a mostly black head with an orange eye-ring and a buff chin and upper throat. Their upperparts are dull olive-gray. Their lower throat, breast, and upper belly are apricot-yellow with olive spots, their flanks grayish, and their lower belly and vent are whitish. Adult females are dark grayish on the back of their crown and head and have more olive upperparts than males. Subspecies C. d. harrisoni and C. d. Voice: The yellow-throated nightingale-thrush's song is somewhat variable though each individual appears to have a single song. Examples are "a scratchy warbling series of sharp whistles and buzzes: chit-TSEE!-tah'wert-PEE'tseee-Cheet or TSIP!Tseee-cheet-tsee'weet". The song lasts about two seconds.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: (c) Christoph Moning, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Christoph Moning · cc-by

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Bicknell's Thrush and Yellow-throated Nightingale-Thrush.