Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Gray-cheeked thrushes have a large range and large population size. They are protected by the U.S. Migratory Bird Act.
US Migratory Bird Act: protected
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
State of Michigan List: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
There are no negative affects on humans or the environment from the Gray-Cheeked Thrush.
The Gray-Cheeked Thrush benefits humans by eating insects that annoy or harm us.
The Gray-Cheeked Thrush eats mostly insects such as beetles, weevils, ants, wasps, and caterpillars. They may also consume spiders, crayfish, sow bugs, and earthworms. They also eat grapes, wild cherries, blackberries, and raspberries.(Barker, 2000)
Their habit of eating berries contributes to the propagation of plants as undigested seeds are transported to other locations.(Chipper Woods Bird Observatory, 2000)
Northeast Siberia across Alaska and northern Canada to north-central Quebec, Labrador, and Newfoundland. South to northern British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. (Barker,2000)
During the winter, the Gray-Cheeked Thrush migrates to the northern part of South America into Colombia, Venezuela, south to Peru, and into northwest Brazil. (Chipper Woods Bird Observatory, 2000)
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native ); neotropical (Native )
Occupant of the boreal forest of northern Canada and Alaska. Little is known about their winter habitat. (Laughlin, S.B.,1985)
They will seek cover under large rocks in sparsely vegetated arctic regions. (Barker, 2000)
Terrestrial Biomes: tundra ; taiga ; savanna or grassland ; forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest ; mountains
Average lifespan
Status: wild: 88 months.
The length of the Gray-Cheeked Thrush is about 16 centimeters. The sexes are similar and have a distinctive song which is very high pitched with quick chippers. They have olive-brown upper parts, gray cheeks, and pink legs. The under parts are white with grayish flanks. It also has a gray, indistinct eye ring. (Laughlin,1985)
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Average mass: 24.8 g.
The Gray-Cheeked Thrush usually has one brood per season. They will lay a second brood if the first nest fails early in the season. The female builds the nest which normally consists of dried grasses mixed with a supporting layer of mud. The incubation period is thirteen to fourteen days. They incubate between three to five eggs, but usually only four. The eggs are light greenish-blue, marked with light brown dots or splotches, and are oval to short-oval in shape. The young are initially dependent on their parents for food. (Barker, 2000)
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; oviparous
Average time to hatching: 13 days.
Average eggs per season: 4.
The grayest of the North American thrushes, the Gray-cheeked Thrush (7 inches) is most easily separated from a similar species, Swainson’s Thrush, by its grayer cheeks and fainter eye-rings. Other field marks include a spotted breast, pink legs, and a medium-length bill. Male and female Gray-cheeked Thrushes are similar to one another in all seasons. The Gray-cheeked Thrush breeds in Siberia, Alaska, and across a wide swath of central and southern Canada. This species spends the winter in northern South America. During spring and fall, Gray-cheeked Thrushes migrate across much of the eastern United States, Mexico, and Central America. In summer, Gray-cheeked Thrushes breed in high-latitude evergreen forests and on shrubby tundra. During the winter, this species inhabits wet tropical forests. On migration, Gray-cheeked Thrush may be found in a variety of habitats with dense undergrowth available for foraging and cover. Many North American birders never travel far south enough to see the Gray-cheeked Thrush on its breeding grounds. This species is much easier to observe during the winter and on migration, although it is more often heard than seen due to its preference for habitats with thick vegetation. Gray-cheeked Thrushes may be observed foraging food while hopping along the forest floor or through the branches of trees. This species is most active during the day, but, like many migratory songbirds, it migrates mainly at night.
The grayest of the North American thrushes, the Gray-cheeked Thrush (7 inches) is most easily separated from a similar species, Swainson’s Thrush, by its grayer cheeks and fainter eye-rings. Other field marks include a spotted breast, pink legs, and a medium-length bill. Male and female Gray-cheeked Thrushes are similar to one another in all seasons. The Gray-cheeked Thrush breeds in Siberia, Alaska, and across a wide swath of central and southern Canada. This species spends the winter in northern South America. During spring and fall, Gray-cheeked Thrushes migrate across much of the eastern United States, Mexico, and Central America. In summer, Gray-cheeked Thrushes breed in high-latitude evergreen forests and on shrubby tundra. During the winter, this species inhabits wet tropical forests. On migration, Gray-cheeked Thrush may be found in a variety of habitats with dense undergrowth available for foraging and cover. Many North American birders never travel far south enough to see the Gray-cheeked Thrush on its breeding grounds. This species is much easier to observe during the winter and on migration, although it is more often heard than seen due to its preference for habitats with thick vegetation. Gray-cheeked Thrushes may be observed foraging food while hopping along the forest floor or through the branches of trees. This species is most active during the day, but, like many migratory songbirds, it migrates mainly at night.
