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Home/Species/ Gray-cheeked Thrush

Catharus minimus

(Lafresnaye, 1848)

Gray-cheeked Thrush

G5Secure Found in 14 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100959
Element CodeABPBJ18090
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyTurdidae
GenusCatharus
COSEWICPS:T
Other Common Names
gray-cheeked thrush (EN) Grey-cheeked Thrush (EN) Grive à joues grises (FR) Sabiá-de-Cara-Cinza (PT) Zorzal Cara Gris (ES)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Taxonomic Comments
This thrush formerly was placed in the genus Hylocichla (AOU 1983). Bicknell's Thrush (C. bicknelli) was formerly included as a subspecies of C. minimus; raised to full species status by Ouellet (1993) based on differences in morphology, bill and plumage color, vocalizations, and mtDNA. This change was accepted by AOU (1995).

Two subspecies are sometimes recognized: C. m. aliciae (Baird 1858) breeds from Alaska east to Labrador, south to northern Alberta; C. m. minimus (Lafresnaye 1848) breeds on Newfoundland and possibly northern Quebec (Lowther et al. 2001).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-07
Change Date1996-12-03
Edition Date2008-01-03
Edition AuthorsGotthardt, T. A., and G. Hammerson. Reviewed by Steve Matsuoka, USFWS, Anchorage, AK.
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Rank Reasons
Widespread, numerous, secure.
Range Extent Comments
Breeding range extends from northeastern Siberia and northern Alaska across northern Canada to Labrador and Newfoundland, south to southern Alaska, northwestern British Columbia, southern Mackenzie, northern Alberta (probably), northeastern Saskatchewan, northern Manitoba, extreme northern Ontario, south-central Quebec, and St. Pierre et Miquelon (Ouellet 1993, AOU 1995). During the northern winter, the species occurs mostly in northern South America: Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, and western Amazonian Brazil; perhaps mainly in southern Venezuela and western Amazon basin; Trinidad; rarely north to Panama, casually north to Costa Rica (Ouellet 1993, AOU 1995).
Threat Impact Comments
No major threats are known. Species is more likely affected by habitat alteration during nonbreeding season.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

Medium-sized thrush, slightly larger than other Catharus thrushes (Lowther et al. 2001). Rather plain, cold-grayish face with indistinct whitish streaks or mottling on ear coverlets. Gray cheek patch is most distinctive trait; gray brown above with a faint and incomplete eye ring. Underparts stark white except where dark brown spots speckle the pale, slightly buffy breast and the flanks and tail are brownish gray (Lowther et al. 2001).

Habitat

Coniferous forest (mainly spruce), tall shrubby areas in taiga, willow and alder thickets near water or above tree line (Ouellet 1993); in migration and winter also in deciduous forest, forest borders, open woodland, second growth, and scrub. Nests from ground level to about 6 m up, in willow, alder, or spruce (Terres 1980).

Ecology

The only neotropical migrant whose breeding distribution includes northeastern Siberia. Least known of Catharus thrushes due to remote breeding range (Lowther et al. 2001). Shows considerable geographic overlap with four other thrushes, including two congeners, Swainson's Thrush (C. ustulatus) and Hermit Thrush (C. guttatus) (Lowther et al. 2001).

Reproduction

Eggs are laid in June (mostly) and July. Clutch size is 3-6 (usually 4). Incubation, by female, lasts 12-14 days. Young are tended by both parents, leave nest at 11-13 days.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - HardwoodForest - ConiferForest - MixedWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparral
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5B
ProvinceRankNative
NebraskaSNRNYes
KansasSNAYes
MississippiSNAYes
WisconsinSNAYes
Rhode IslandSNAYes
District of ColumbiaS3NYes
TexasS4Yes
South CarolinaS4MYes
North CarolinaSNAYes
New JerseyS4NYes
AlabamaSNAYes
VirginiaSNAYes
DelawareSNAYes
MassachusettsS2NYes
MichiganSNRNYes
FloridaSNAYes
IowaS3NYes
VermontSNAYes
IndianaSNAYes
TennesseeS4NYes
West VirginiaSNAYes
MinnesotaSNAYes
South DakotaSNAYes
IllinoisSNAYes
AlaskaS4BYes
MarylandSNAYes
North DakotaSNAYes
OhioSNAYes
KentuckySNAYes
LouisianaSNAYes
GeorgiaSNRNYes
New HampshireS4BYes
MaineS4NYes
ConnecticutSNAYes
New YorkSNAYes
OklahomaS2NYes
PennsylvaniaSNAYes
MissouriSNAYes
ColoradoS5BYes
ArkansasSNAYes
CanadaN5B
ProvinceRankNative
QuebecS5BYes
OntarioS4B,S4MYes
New BrunswickSUMYes
Prince Edward IslandSUMYes
NunavutSUBYes
Northwest TerritoriesS5Yes
Nova ScotiaSUBYes
LabradorS4B,SUMYes
Island of NewfoundlandS2B,SUMYes
ManitobaS4BYes
Yukon TerritoryS4BYes
AlbertaSUBYes
British ColumbiaS4BYes
SaskatchewanS4BYes
Roadless Areas (14)
Alaska (6)
AreaForestAcres
Bering LakeChugach National Forest965,076
Brabazon AdditionTongass National Forest498,819
Copper River WetlandsChugach National Forest85,972
Kenai LakeChugach National Forest213,172
Roaded DonutChugach National Forest968
Sheridan GlacierChugach National Forest224,683
Tennessee (1)
AreaForestAcres
Sycamore CreekCherokee National Forest6,984
Virginia (6)
AreaForestAcres
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Gum RunGeorge Washington National Forest12,620
Ramseys Draft AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest12,781
Shawvers Run AdditionJefferson National Forest1,927
SkidmoreGeorge Washington National Forest5,641
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
West Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Dry River (WV)George Washington National Forest7,331
References (38)
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