Thrush, Varied

Latin name: Exoreus naevius

Length, wingspan: 9.5″, 16″

What they eat: Insects during breeding season, fruits and nuts during the fall and winter months.

Habitat: Forested areas for most of the year; areas with a plentiful berry supply in winter.

Plants that attract: Snowberry, dogwood, blueberry, honeysuckle, thimbleberry.

Where they nest: In conifers within forests.

My observations: It can be easy to initially mistake a varied thrush for a robin as they are very similar in size and build. But the dead giveaway is the peachy-orange stripe in the wing and the beautiful markings that feature more orange feathers. We have the potential to see varied thrushes in our garden year-round, but primarily notice them during the winter and spring months. They range from northern and coastal California, up through western Oregon, all of Washington, and then up into Canada and Alaska.

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