Montshire Minute: Hermit Thrush

Originally aired during the week of April 14, 2003

Monday

Shhh . . . this is Neal at the Montshire, and I'm looking for a very elusive bird! You see, it's kinda' shy. In fact, you can tell how shy it is by its name. We're talking about the Hermit Thrush, the official Vermont state bird. Sure, those other states may go in for selecting colorful species like the goldfinch or bluebird as their state bird. Other flashy birds get baseball teams names after them, like the Cardinals and Blue Jays. Something tells me there will never be a team named The Hermit Thrushes. But that makes seeing this bird all the more rewarding. You probably won't find the hermit thrush in your backyard - you have to venture out here into the woods where the bird makes its home. The hermit thrush migrates south for the winter but it's usually one of the first woodland songbirds to return in spring, usually around mid-April.

Tuesday

The Hermit Thrush is not a flashy bird. Its brown back, rust-colored tail, and speckled breast helps it blend in with the colors of the surrounding forest. While it may not win the beauty contest, it does win the talent competition. The thrushes are known for their beautiful songs and the hermit thrush's flute-like notes seem to hang in the air long after the song is finished. According to Gail Lawrence in an article written for Vermont Woodlands magazine, the Vermont Federation of Woman's Clubs lobbied for the thrush as the Vermont state bird in 1941. They called the Hermit Thrush "The Nightingale of America." Others felt the bird was not a "true Vermonter" as it didn't stay in the state year-round. Unlike some year-round feathered residents, the thrush migrates south for the winter and returns in mid-April.

Wednesday

According to Gail Lawrence in an article written for Vermont Woodlands magazine, the Hermit Thrush was not a unanimous choice to be the Vermont state bird. When the matter came up for debate in 1941, some members of the state legislature felt the thrush was not a "real Vermonter" because it leaves the Green Mountains for warmer climes during the winter. A Manchester legislator proposed the Blue Jay and managed to get enough support for a tie vote. Lieutenant Governor Mortimer Proctor broke the tie by casting his ballot for the Hermit Thrush, and the rest is history. Although the Hermit Thrush is sometimes seen well north of its normal winter range, it may succumb to sudden cold snaps and heavy snowfall that cover up their food sources. Thrushes are common in winter only where the average January temperature is above 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

Thursday

The Hermit Thrush is one of the last migratory songbirds to fly south for the winter and one of the first to return in the spring. Males arrive first, singing to attract females to their territories. The flute-like song of the bird can be heard as much as an hour before sunrise, and lasts off and on until just after sunset. The female builds a cup-shaped nest made of grass, bark strips, mud and weeds. The nest is built on or near the ground, sometimes on the lower limbs of a tree. (This can make the nests easy prey for house cats and other predators). The female lays 3 to 6 greenish-blue eggs, which hatch in 12 to 13 days. During the breeding season, most of its food is made up of insects, spiders, and other animals. Like the Wood Thrush or the American Robin (another member of the thrush family), the Hermit Thrush will forage on the forest floor, but it is more likely to take wing in search of flying insects.

Friday

After laying her eggs, the Hermit Thrush will incubate them for about 12 to 13 days. Meanwhile the gallant male defends the territory and brings her food. When the eggs hatch the male helps feed the hatchlings until, about 12 days later, the young are ready to strike out on their own. Gail Lawrence writes in Northern Woodland magazine that bird watchers have found hermit thrush nests with eggs in them as early as May 13 and as late as August 17. If you begin listening for thrush songs in mid-April and begin hearing regular songs from a specific area in May, you've probably stumbled on the territory of a nesting pair. Stop by the Museum and you can hear a whole thrush chorus at our thrush song exhibit. Learn to tell the difference between the trill of a robin, the song of a bluebird, or the clear, flutelike music of the Vermont state bird, the Hermit Thrush.