Bird guide · Ixoreus naevius
Varied Thrush
What the varied thrush eats, where it lives, when it comes to feeders and how to recognise it – with sightings from every US state.
- Season
- Migrant; numbers in wintering areas vary.
- Size
- 9.3 in (23.5 cm)
- Feeds
- ground
- Most common
- Alaska, Washington, Oregon
Food
What do varied thrushes eat?
Feeds on the ground under dense cover, tossing leaf litter aside with its bill.
Feeder that suits it
A low tray or platform feeder, or seed scattered on the ground below your feeder.
Range
Where do varied thrushes live?
Dense humid forests of the Pacific Northwest; strays east in winter. By share of all bird sightings, varied thrushes are most common in Alaska (1.0%).
States where varied thrushes are most common
- Alaska1.0%
- Washington0.4%
- Oregon0.4%
- Idaho0.06%
- Montana0.05%
- California0.04%
- Nevada0.03%
- Rhode Island0.01%
- Minnesota0.01%
- North Dakota0.01%
Share of all bird sightings in each state that are varied thrushes, 2019–2024.
Season
Does the varied thrush migrate?
Migrant; numbers in wintering areas vary.. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in February.
Share of all bird sightings in the US that are varied thrushes, by month.
Identification
How to identify the varied thrush
Male: Orange throat and eyebrow, dark chest band and extensive orange wing markings.
Female: Duller, with paler upperparts.
Young birds: Mottled chest, same wing pattern.
Size: 9.3 in (23.5 cm)
Easily confused with
- American Robin – looks superficially similar but lacks the breast band
On camera
Getting the varied thrush on a feeder camera
Most visits happen on the ground or on low trays. A camera feeder with a wide tray, placed low near cover, catches far more than a hanging tube.
Questions
Varied Thrush: questions
Do varied thrushes migrate?
Migrant; numbers in wintering areas vary.. Across the US it is reported in every month; its share of bird sightings is highest in February.
Where do varied thrushes live?
By share of all bird sightings, they are most common in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana. They are rare or absent in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware.
What does a female varied thrush look like?
Duller, with paler upperparts.