Date: 9/8/26 2:38 pm From: Steve Long <steve.long4...> Subject: Re: [MDBirding] Re: Help identify a thrush, please
After reading comments and repeatedly comparing the frozen specimen to
descriptions in various bird books, I am leaning toward Ovenbird as the
species.
The olive color on the back, the connectedness of the pattern of spots
on the breast and especially the appearance of 2 dark stripes on the
crown seem to make it the best choice.
I had originally not considered Ovenbird because of the bird book
illustrations that show two bold dark stripes over the crown with
strongly reddish brown between them. There is no reddish stripe on this
bird's crown, and dark stripes were not evident when I first looked it
over. But, by smoothing the feathers after they became damp, I can now
see 2 darker bands where they would be on an Ovenbird. But the color
between them is still the same olive color that is on this bird's back.
The size is not really much help. The photos show 5" length, compared
to book figures of 6" for an Ovenbird and either 6.25" or 6.75" for a
Bicknell's Thrush (depending on which bird book I look at). Considering
that the specimen had a head-on fatal collision with a window, its
length is probably compressed/distorted, especially between the neck and
head. Also, the eyes and the feathers around them were already damaged
by ants when I found it, so determining whether eye rings were partial
or complete is problematic on this specimen.
So, it is really the now-visible 2 dark lines on the crown that seem to
be the most convincing feature.
Thanks to all for the help.
Steve
On 9/8/2026 12:26 PM, Claire Nemes wrote:
> Hi Steve, I believe this is an Ovenbird rather than a thrush - the
> length (4.5 - 5") points to OVEN instead of one of the Catharus thrush
> species (closer to 7"). The olivey-brown back, indication of an
> eyering, and very clear breast spotting are also good fieldmarks for
> Ovenbird.
>
> Cheers,
> Claire
>
> On Monday, September 7, 2026 at 11:56:06 AM UTC-4 Steve Long wrote:
>
> I found a window-strike killed bird this morning that is some type of
> Thrush. And not the usual Wood Thrush we see occasionally around
> here -
> so probably a migrant.
>
> The first thing I noted about it is a solid, very greenish olive
> hue on
> its back and head that I am not seeing mentioned in any bird book.
>
> It is ~5" long, with boldly spotted white breast and white belly.
> From
> what I can see of the eyes, it may have once had a continuous
> white eye
> ring, but not sure due to damaged head feathers.
>
> I am not seeing redishness along its tail to indicate a Hermit
> Thrush,
> and am not seeing the buffy "spectacles" to indicate a Swainson's
> Thrush.
>
> Wondering about Gray-cheaked and Bicknell's, which could
> conceivably be
> migrating through, now.
>
> Two pictures attached. Bird is bagged in the freezer for now.
>
> Steve Long
>
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