• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Friends of Kananaskis Country

Enhance, protect and share the unique natural and cultural experiences of Kananaskis Country through public participation and environmental education.

Header Right

Donate Join Us Volunteer-Events Calendar
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Vision and Mission
    • The Team
    • The Advisory Council
    • Thanks Volunteers
  • About K-Country
    • Kananaskis Country
    • Trail Maps
    • Trail Reports
    • Bite-Sized Advice
    • Trail & Camping Info
    • Kananaskis Conservation Pass
    • Critters of K-Country
    • Flowers of K-Country
    • Plants of K-Country
    • Fungi of K-Country
  • Programs + Events
    • Trail Care
      • Recruiting Crew Leaders & Backcountry Crew
      • Migratory Birds and the Friends
    • Canmore Trail Alliance
    • Trails Fest
    • Environmental Education
    • Chandra Crawford Hut at CNC
  • Engage
    • Sign Up and Join Us
    • Volunteer
      • Volunteer Projects
    • Corporate & Group Trail Days
    • Trail Day – What to Bring & Expect
    • Volunteer Agreement, Release and Waiver of Liability Form
    • Trail Groups and Clubs
  • Library
    • Latest News
    • Annual Reports
    • Great Kananaskis Flood Book
    • Bylaws & Cooperating Agreement
    • Newsletter
      • 2020 Newsletter Archive
      • 2019 Newsletter Archive
      • 2018 Newsletter Archive
      • 2017 Newsletter Archive
      • 2016 Newsletter Archive
      • 2015 Newsletter Archive
      • 2014 Newsletter Archive
      • 2013 Newsletter Archive
      • 2012 Newsletter Archive
      • 1997 – 2008 Newsletter Archive
    • Policies
  • Support
    • Donate
    • Legacy Fund
      • Legacy Fund FAQs
    • Planned Giving
    • Trail Love Give Back
    • SkipTheDepot
    • Our Supporters
    • Thanks
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Vision and Mission
    • The Team
    • The Advisory Council
    • Thanks Volunteers
  • About K-Country
    • Kananaskis Country
    • Trail Maps
    • Trail Reports
    • Bite-Sized Advice
    • Trail & Camping Info
    • Kananaskis Conservation Pass
    • Critters of K-Country
    • Flowers of K-Country
    • Plants of K-Country
    • Fungi of K-Country
  • Programs + Events
    • Trail Care
      • Recruiting Crew Leaders & Backcountry Crew
      • Migratory Birds and the Friends
    • Canmore Trail Alliance
    • Trails Fest
    • Environmental Education
    • Chandra Crawford Hut at CNC
  • Engage
    • Sign Up and Join Us
    • Volunteer
      • Volunteer Projects
    • Corporate & Group Trail Days
    • Trail Day – What to Bring & Expect
    • Volunteer Agreement, Release and Waiver of Liability Form
    • Trail Groups and Clubs
  • Library
    • Latest News
    • Annual Reports
    • Great Kananaskis Flood Book
    • Bylaws & Cooperating Agreement
    • Newsletter
      • 2020 Newsletter Archive
      • 2019 Newsletter Archive
      • 2018 Newsletter Archive
      • 2017 Newsletter Archive
      • 2016 Newsletter Archive
      • 2015 Newsletter Archive
      • 2014 Newsletter Archive
      • 2013 Newsletter Archive
      • 2012 Newsletter Archive
      • 1997 – 2008 Newsletter Archive
    • Policies
  • Support
    • Donate
    • Legacy Fund
      • Legacy Fund FAQs
    • Planned Giving
    • Trail Love Give Back
    • SkipTheDepot
    • Our Supporters
    • Thanks
  • Contact

Swainson’s Thrush

Swainson’s Thrush

 

When you think of thrushes, the omnipresent Robin is the king of the family. But Robins have many cousins, including Hermit Thrush, Varied Thrush, and the Swainson’s Thrush, Catharus ustulatus.

Compared to the brightly coloured Varied Thrush, or the bright chested Robin, Swainson’s are rather… dull. Another name for them is the Olive-Backed Thrush. They are a pure dull olive green on their backs, with a buff chest that has spots. Fledglings are very spotted. As they moult, the numbers of chest spots decreases.

Swainson’s are fairly shy and not often seen. They are primarily heard, basically the first bird to make noise in the morning and the last to stop at night. During summer it’s a tree dweller. In migration it becomes much more of a ground feeder, targeting more berries than its usual diet of beetles, flies, ants and caterpillars. It especially likes Red Osier Dogwood berries. You’ll most commonly see them in April/May and late August through early October. Swainson’s are often still around when the snows fly.

They nest in conifers not too far off the ground. Swainson’s lay eggs in the spring, and it takes just 25 days from laying to fledging. They spend their winters from southern Mexico all the way to northern Argentina. Their migration route is a bit unique and convoluted; they fly east, then south through Florida, before jumping to Panama then going south again.

According to Ben Gadd, numbers of these and other neotropical migrants are in steep decline due to habitat losses from forestry practices and other issues.

Meet some of the other cool critters of K-Country here!

Swainson’s Thrush

Footer

Contact Us

email: info@kananaskis.org
Phone: 403.678.5593
Mail Address:
Suite 201, 800 Railway Ave.
Canmore, Alberta
T1W 1P1

Search Website

You can also find us on

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • RSS
  • Twitter
Donate Join Us Volunteer Calendar

Copyright © 2023 · developed by Artmann Comm on Genesis Framework