Veery    Catharus fuscescens

Migratory Status: Neotropical migrant

PIF Population Estimate: 14 000 000

Percent of western hemisphere population breeding in boreal forest: <25%

BAM Effective Detection Radius (m) : 75.67

PIF Maximum Detection Distance (m) : 200

Canadian BBS Population trend: -1.5 (-2.1 to -0.9)

Life History

The Veery is easily distinguished from other species within the genus Catharus by its overall reddish upperparts and relatively unspotted breast. Vocally, the song of the Veery is also quite distinct, consisting of a series of 4 to 6 notes that vary in frequency and often containing the phrase “veer” for which the species acquired its common name. While similar to other Catharus thrushes, the song of the Veery is often described as having a metallic quality and sounds as though the notes are passing through a metal pipe.

In Canada, the breeding range extends from interior British Columbia and central Alberta, east to east-central Ontario, southern Quebec, the Maritime Provinces and southwestern Newfoundland. In the United States, the range extends continuously through northern New Jersey, southern Pennsylvania, northern Ohio, northern Indiana, central Minnesota and northern North Dakota. In the eastern United States, the Veery occurs at higher elevations in the Appalachian Mountains south to northern Georgia. In the western United States, isolated breeding populations exist in Black Hills of western South Dakota, in central and western Montana, Idaho, northern Utah, southern Wyoming, central Colorado, northeastern Oregon, and portions of eastern and northern Washington. A small, isolated population breeds in some years south to Little Colorado River in east-central Arizona. The winter range appears to be limited to portions of south-central and southeastern Brazil.

The Veery mainly consumes insects and fruit during the breeding season. Most foraging is done on the ground, though some foraging occurs within foliage and less often through aerial fly-catching.

Reference(s)

Bevier, L., A. F. Poole, and W. Moskoff. 2004. Verry (Catharus fuscescens), The Birds of North America Online, . A. Poole, Ed. Ithaca: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology; Retrieved from The Birds of North America Online database: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/BNA/account/Veery/.