Swainson's Thrush is a spotted thrush of boreal and montane forests whose spiraling, upward-winding song is one of the most ethereal sounds in North American nature. It migrates primarily at night, navigating by stars, and its calls — thin, peep-like whistles — are heard overhead at night during spring and fall migration. It has buffy spectacles and buffy wash on the breast that separate it from similar thrushes.
Best time to see a Swainson's Thrush
The best time to see a Swainson's Thrush is April–June, when about 66% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 19,382 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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