Taxonomy/Description

Hermit Thrushes are passerines in the Turdidae family. This family consists of other Thrushes including the American Robin and the Eastern Bluebird. An adult Hermit Thrush is medium sized thrush with a brown head and back blending into a reddish tail.  It has distinct brown/blackish spotting on a white chest.  They also have a thin white eyering and are often seen lifting their tail up quickly then lowering it slowly. Hermit Thrushes are monochromatic which means that both the males and females look alike.

Habitat/Diet

During the breeding season Hermit Thrush can be found nesting in deciduous forests, mixed and coniferous forest and tend to favor interior forest edges such as those found along a field or pond opening.  In the winter these thrushes can be found in dense, moist cover of forests and woodlands. During the summer and breeding seasons Hermit Thrush typically eat insects and small invertebrates.  They forage by searching through leaf litter while watching for movement.  During winter months they concentrate their eating activities mostly on fruits.

Hermit Thrush are the most resilient of the Catharus thrushes and is the only species within the genus known to remain in the completely within North America.  Breeding season finds these the Hermit Thrush in mid-upper North America.  During the fall these birds will migrate to the southern portions of the United States and into Mexico.  The male will return to the breeding grounds early in the spring to establish territories before the return of the females. 

Behavior/Reproduction  

They are known to be a primarily monogamous species forming pairs based on flying courtship displays in which the male chases the female.  Nests are built by the female and can be found on the ground or in low trees.  These cup shaped nest compose of grasses, twigs, leaves, hair, rootlets, mosses, lichens and other organic materials.  Clutches consist of 2-5 light blue eggs with occasional brown flecks or spots with one egg laid daily until clutch is complete.  Incubation by the female only begins when the clutch is complete and normally lasts 11-13 days.  Young are born altricial and fledge in 11-12 days.  If the first clutch is unsuccessful a second attempt is possible.

Where to see them in WNY

Hermit Thrush can be seen in wooded within areas such as Tift Nature Preserve, Iroquois Wildlife Refuge and Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve during the migratory season.