What does the Veery song sound like?

Catharus fuscescens

Song Uncommon

Play the real Veery song, the "vee-eer-vee-eer-vwéeer", and learn what to listen for.

“vee-eer-vee-eer-vwéeer”

What the Veery song sounds like

A series of three to five flute-like phrases, each descending in pitch and slightly slurred, producing a haunting, echoing quality that carries through the forest at dawn and dusk.

“vee-eer-vee-eer-vwéeer”

Birders often file this one under Downward-Spiraling Song.

How to find the bird singing it

Moist, mature deciduous or mixed forests with a dense, shady understory; often near streams, bogs, and other damp lowlands. During migration it uses a variety of wooded habitats and thickets.

Cinnamon Upperparts: Warm tawny or cinnamon-brown back, wings, and tail without strong contrast.
Plain Face: Subtle, thin pale eyering and little contrast between face and crown, giving a gentle expression.
Faint Breast Spots: Light buffy chest with small, blurry brown spots restricted to upper breast; belly clean white.

When you'll hear it

Spring

Arriving migrants sing persistently from mid-story perches while establishing territories.

Summer

Secretive pairs feed nestlings in cool, damp forest understory; song output decreases after mid-June.

Autumn

Silently forages on berries before undertaking a swift, often trans-oceanic migration south.

Winter

Resides in humid tropical forests of Amazonia, giving soft contact calls while foraging with mixed flocks.

Don’t confuse it with

Birds whose song gets mistaken for this one. Play them back to back.

Swainson's Thrush

Stronger buffy eyering and lores create a distinct "spectacled" look

Hermit Thrush

Reddish tail contrasts with browner back

Wood Thrush

Larger size and bold black spots on bright white underparts

Veery song FAQ

What does a Veery song sound like?

A series of three to five flute-like phrases, each descending in pitch and slightly slurred, producing a haunting, echoing quality that carries through the forest at dawn and dusk. Birders write it as "vee-eer-vee-eer-vwéeer".

How do I tell a Veery from a Swainson's Thrush by ear?

Swainson's Thrush: Stronger buffy eyering and lores create a distinct "spectacled" look; Heavier, darker breast spotting extending farther down.

When is the best time to hear the Veery song?

• Late April–May: Northward migration and territory establishment • May–July: Courtship, nesting, and fledging young • Aug–Sept: Post-breeding molt and southbound migration • Oct–Mar: On wintering grounds in tropical forests of South America

More Veery sounds

Veery: the full species pageEvery sound we have, field marks, habitat and similar species.How to Learn Bird Songs by Ear: A Gentle Two-Week MethodLearning bird songs by ear sounds intimidating until you realize you already know a few — that robin in your yard, the chickadee at the feeder. Here is the gentle on-ramp: seven birds to learn first, a memory trick that works even if you cannot carry a tune, and a ten-minute-a-day rhythm that turns spring noise into named neighbors.How to Learn Bird Calls Fast: A 7-Day Spring PlanYou have seven days. You want seven birds. This is the plan: one new song per day, a mnemonic per bird, ten minutes you steal from your coffee break. Sunday-to-Sunday, you walk outside and a name lands in your head before you have time to think about it.The Dawn Chorus: Which Birds Sing First Each Morning (And Why)Every morning, as the first light touches the sky, birds like the American Robin and Northern Cardinal begin their symphony. But why do they choose dawn for their most vigorous singing?