Veery

Catharus fuscescens

Summary 3

The Veery (Catharus fuscescens) is a small North American thrush species, a member of a group of closely related and similar species in the genus Catharus, also including the Gray-cheeked Thrush (C. minimus) and Bicknell's Thrush (C. bicknelli).

Catharus fuscescens 4

Paler and less heavily-streaked than the other thrushes breeding in North America, the Veery (6 ½ - 7 ½ inches) is most easily identified by its tawny-colored back and head. Other field marks include pink legs, white breast, and dark eye lacking any noticeable eye-ring. Male and female Veerys are similar to one another in all seasons. The Veery breeds across southern Canada and the northern U.S. Smaller populations occur at higher elevations in the Rockies and the Appalachians south to New Mexico and Georgia, respectively. This species is a long-distance migrant, breeding in southeastern Brazil. In summer, Veerys breed in wet deciduous forests. On migration, this species may be found in the undergrowth of various kinds of forests across North America. Little is known about the Veery’s habitat preferences in winter due to the relative inaccessibility of its winter range, but all records for this species at that time of year come from dense tropical forests. Veerys eat fruits, berries, and insects during the breeding season; fruits are presumed to make up a large part of this species’ diet on winter grounds. The vast majority of North American birders, including many scientists, never see the Veery in its winter range. This species is much easier to observe in summer and on migration, although it is more often heard than seen due to its preference for habitats with thick vegetation. Veerys may be observed foraging food while hopping along the forest floor or through the branches of trees. Males may be located by listening for their unique, onomatopoeic song. The Veery is most active during the day, but, like many migratory songbirds, this species migrates at night.

Habitat 5

Comments: Nesting habitat includes swampy forest, especially in more open areas with shrubby understory, as well as second growth, willow or alder shrubbery near water; large tracts of forest are most suitable. Nests usually are on or near the ground, at the base of a shrub, in a clump of herbaceous vegetation, or in a shrub or low tree (Terres 1980). In migration and winter this species occurs also in lowland forest, woodland, and scrub.

Iucn red list assessment 6


Red List Category
LC
Least Concern

Red List Criteria

Version
3.1

Year Assessed
2012

Assessor/s
BirdLife International

Reviewer/s
Butchart, S. & Symes, A.

Contributor/s

Justification
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend appears to be decreasing, the decline is not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

History
  • Least Concern (LC)
  • Least Concern (LC)
  • Least Concern (LC)
  • Lower Risk/least concern (LR/lc)
  • Lower Risk/least concern (LR/lc)
  • Lower Risk/least concern (LR/lc)

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) Jenn Megyesi, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jenn Megyesi
  2. Wikimedia Commons, no known copyright restrictions (public domain), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Veery23.jpg
  3. Adapted by Amanda Carrillo-Perez from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catharus_fuscescens
  4. (c) Smithsonian Institution, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/34818420
  5. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28917012
  6. (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/34362680

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