Watercolor portrait of Bicknell's Thrush (Catharus bicknelli)

Bicknell's Thrush

Catharus bicknelli
It breeds locally in northeastern North… In summer, look on cool, high-elevation… Rare Ethereal breeding song

Learn to identify the Bicknell's Thrush by ear. Master the "bree-tee-teeu?" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.

“bree-tee-teeu?”

What the Bicknell's Thrush sounds like

Bicknell's Thrush is a shy, warm-brown mountain thrush with a secretive, almost ghostly feel. It slips through dense firs like a shadow, then lets loose a thin, flute-like song that seems to float out of the fog. Hearing one well is a real northeastern birding prize.

“bree-tee-teeu?”

How to tell it apart

Listen for:A thin, wiry, flute-like tumble of notes that rises and twists at the end. It sounds distant and ghostly, even when the bird is fairly close. Often written as “bree-tee-teeu?”.
Don't confuse with:The Gray-cheeked Thrush — usually looks colder and grayer in the face, with less warm buff around the eye.

Lessons featuring the Bicknell's Thrush

Ready to test your ear? Practice identifying the Bicknell's Thrush's sounds in this interactive in-app lesson.

Thrush Theater lesson habitat
Thrush Theater
Tier 11 · The Mixers
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Where you'll hear it

In summer, look on cool, high-elevation peaks with dense balsam fir and red spruce, especially stunted or regenerating forest. In winter, it uses moist broadleaf and cloud forests in the Greater Antilles.

It is easiest to detect at dawn in late spring and summer, when males sing from hidden perches on misty mountaintops. During migration it is much quieter, often traveling at night and slipping unnoticed through eastern forests.

Similar species

Gray-cheeked Thrush

Usually looks colder and grayer in the face, with less warm buff around the eye.

Swainson's Thrush

Shows much stronger buff 'spectacles' around the eye.

Hermit Thrush

Usually shows a rich rusty tail that contrasts with the back.

Bicknell's Thrush song FAQ

What does a Bicknell's Thrush sound like?
A thin, wiry, flute-like tumble of notes that rises and twists at the end. It sounds distant and ghostly, even when the bird is fairly close. Listen for the "bree-tee-teeu?" phrase.
How do I tell a Bicknell's Thrush from a Gray-cheeked Thrush by sound?
Gray-cheeked Thrush: Usually looks colder and grayer in the face, with less warm buff around the eye.; Often appears slightly larger and less cozy-looking overall.; Breeds mostly farther north, not typically in the high spruce-fir peaks where Bicknell's nests..
When is the best time to hear a Bicknell's Thrush?
It is easiest to detect at dawn in late spring and summer, when males sing from hidden perches on misty mountaintops. During migration it is much quieter, often traveling at night and slipping unnoticed through eastern forests.