In the moss-draped forests of the Pacific Northwest, you might be the lucky birdwatcher to catch sight of a striking orange and black bird approximately the size of an American Robin. If you've never seen this bird before, you'll wonder what happened to that Robin's feathers — and then you'll consult your birding guide and discover you've just spotted the Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius). This enigmatic and somewhat elusive species enchants those fortunate enough to find it. Here's everything you need to know to identify, find, and attract this fascinating thrush.
The Varied Thrush is a medium-sized songbird, think American Robin in size, with a distinctive and eye-catching appearance that makes it one of the most striking birds in the Pacific Northwest.
Male:
Female: Similar pattern but more muted. Less severe black replaced with shades of brown and olive, and a softer, less defined breast band.
The Varied Thrush is a denizen of the temperate rainforests and coniferous woodlands of the Pacific Northwest, including parts of Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and northern California. These birds prefer dense, moist habitats and can often be found near streams, rivers, and wetlands, where they forage for insects in summer and berries and seeds in winter.
Varied Thrushes tend to stay hidden among dense foliage, making them challenging to spot despite their vivid colors. They forage on the forest floor, flipping leaf litter to uncover food. But you don't need to trek to the Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park to catch a glimpse (though that sounds amazing). In winter, these birds will visit backyard feeders. At Bird Fluff's home base west of the Cascades in Oregon, we see them each year at the end of winter, rooting through the leaf litter under our feeders, and it is always a treat.
During breeding season they are solitary and territorial, but may join mixed-species flocks in the non-breeding season for added protection and foraging benefits.
The Varied Thrush's song is unlike any other. Males sing a single, sustained, almost buzzy note held at one pitch, then pause before repeating at a different pitch. It's haunting, ethereal, and once you know it, unmistakable. Familiarize yourself with it using a birding app like Merlin before heading into the forest; you'll often hear a Varied Thrush long before you see one.
The Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius) is a medium-sized songbird native to the Pacific Northwest of North America. It is known for its striking orange and black plumage, haunting single-note song, and preference for dense, moist coniferous forests.
Both are similar in size and have orange underparts, but the Varied Thrush has a bold dark breast band, a black (not gray) back, prominent orange eye stripes, and orange and black wing markings. The Robin has a plain gray-brown back and no breast band or wing patterning.
Varied Thrushes are found in dense coniferous and temperate rainforests from Alaska south through British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and northern California. In winter, they sometimes move to lower elevations and suburban areas, where they may visit backyard feeders.
In summer, Varied Thrushes eat primarily insects and invertebrates foraged from the forest floor. In winter, their diet shifts to berries, seeds, and fruit. At feeders, they are most likely to be attracted by fruit, mealworms, or seeds scattered on or near the ground.
Varied Thrushes are not rare within their range, but their secretive, forest-dwelling habits make them easy to overlook. Outside the Pacific Northwest, they are considered an exciting rarity; vagrant individuals occasionally turn up far to the east, causing quite a stir among local birders.
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