Aztec Thrush
At a Glance
An uncommon resident of mountain pine forests of Mexico. Quiet and shy, it is easily overlooked despite its striking pattern. Aztec Thrush was never found in our area until the late 1970s, but in recent years one or two have shown up almost annually in mountains near the Mexican border, especially in late summer in southeastern Arizona.
All bird guide text and rangemaps adapted from Lives of North American Birds by Kenn Kaufman© 1996, used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Category
Perching Birds
IUCN Status
Least Concern
Habitat
Arroyos and Canyons, Forests and Woodlands, High Mountains
Behavior
Direct Flight
Range & Identification
Description
9" (23 cm). Male blackish with white belly, strong white pattern in wings, black tail with broad white tip. Female similar pattern but browner. Juvenile has similar wing and tail pattern but body is brown with buff spots and streaks..
Size
About the size of a Robin
Wing Shape
Pointed
Tail Shape
Rounded, Square-tipped
Songs and Calls
A whining “wheerr”, both as call and (louder, repeated) as song.
Sign up for Audubon's newsletter to learn more about birds like the Aztec Thrush