Gray-cheeked Thrush
Learn to identify the Gray-cheeked Thrush by ear. Master the "veer-veer, whee-u, zeee" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.
What the Gray-cheeked Thrush sounds like
Burry, flute-like phrases climb through the middle, then curl downward to a lower finish.
How to tell it apart
Lessons featuring the Gray-cheeked Thrush
Ready to test your ear? Practice identifying the Gray-cheeked Thrush's sounds in this interactive in-app lesson.
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Where you'll hear it
A long-distance migrant. It breeds far across the boreal North and winters mainly in northern South America, so many birders see it only for a brief window in spring or fall.
Breeds in dense spruce-fir forest, willow thickets, and scrubby edges near the northern treeline. During migration, look for it in woodlots, parks, and leafy understory where it keeps low and hidden.
Most active at dawn, dusk, and at night during migration. Males sing on the breeding grounds, but migrants are often quiet except for a thin seep call from dense cover or overhead in the dark.
How to recognize it by sight
A quiet, cool-toned thrush with a plain gray face and a softly spotted chest. It often slips through dark understory like a shadow, then gives a sharp, rising seep that gives it away.
Similar species
Bicknell's Thrush
Very similar, but Bicknell's is slightly smaller and warmer brown overall.
Swainson's Thrush
Swainson's usually shows a stronger buff face and a more obvious buff 'spectacles' around the eye.
Hermit Thrush
Hermit Thrush usually has a distinctly reddish tail that contrasts with the back.