Thrushes, Thrashers, Mockingbirds, and Vireos
- Overall Descriptions

1) Family Vireonidae
- Plumages are mainly gray, greenish or brown above and whitish or yellowish below.
- Small passerines with short and sturdy bill slightly hooked at tip.
- Most forest types, semi-open areas with scattered trees, and scrub.

2) Family Mimidae (Thrashers, Mockingbirds, and Catbirds)
-Medium-sized thrush-like birds, with short wings, long legs and long tail
-Generally dull-plumaged, mostly grey or brown, some with white or rufous.
-Second growth, open woodland, scrub and desert habitats.

3) Family Turdidae (Thrushes, Bluebirds, and Robins)
-Small to medium-sized passerines with fairly strong bill,
-Usually medium-long tail, plumages varying from dull grey or brown to black
-Some species with bright colors.
-Cosmopolitan.
-Most habitats, from dense forest to open country.

Identification

White Eyed Vireo

http://www.lloydspitalnikphotos.com/d/6485-4/white-eyed_vireo_F5R6002.jpg

• Yellowsides.
• Yellowspectacles.
• Whitethroat.
• Twowhite wingbars.
• Eyeswhite

Red Eyed Vireo

http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/munshisouth10/files/2010/10/RedEyedVireo.jpg

• Eyesdark red
• Eyebrow white with black stripethrough the eye
• Crowngray to blue-gray

Yellow-Throated Vireo

http://leesbirdblog.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/yellow-throated-vireo-vireo-flavifrons-by-anthony-747.jpg

• Bright yellow throat, breast, and eye spectacles.
• Belly and under tail white.
• Two white wingbars.

Hermit Thrush

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c9/HermitThrush63.jpg/200px-HermitThrush63.jpg

• Reddishtail contrasts with duller brown/gray body
• Denseblack spotting on upper breast
• Completewhite eye ring

Wood Thrush

http://www.naturesound.com/birds/hires/woody.jpg

• Large,pot-bellied thrush
• Shorttail
• Brightbrick-red above
• Whitebelow with dense, dark spotting

Eastern Bluebird
- Male

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/PHOTO/LARGE/eastern_bluebird_glamor.jpg

- Female

http://www.dvoc.org/Conservation/Corner2007/Images/eastern-bluebird-female-BIN.jpg

• Reddishorange breast and throat
• Whitebelly and undertail
• Bodyheld upright
• Thinbill
• Slightwhite eyering,heavy toward the back of the eye
• Orangeextends to side of neck

American Robin

http://mayo.personcounty.net/Bird%20Folder/Songbirds/American%20Robin.jpg

• Reddish orange breast and sides
• White belly
• Gray upperparts, darker head
• White eye crescents
• Dark tail with white corners in flight
• Yellow bill with black tip

Brown Thrasher

http://www.animalspot.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Brown-Thrasher.jpg

• Largelong-tailed
• Upperpartsbright rufous.
• Underpartswhite with black streaking.
• Yellow eyes

Grey Catbird

http://worldbirdwatching.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/grey-catbird.jpg

• Graybody, wings, and tail
• Darkcap
• Longdark tail
• Reddishundertailcoverts
• Darkeye and bill

Northern Mockingbird

http://www.naturephoto-cz.com/photos/sevcik/northern-mockingbird--mimus-polyglottos-1.jpg

• Slender bill
• Gray head and upperparts
• Yellow eye
• White underparts
• Long black tail with white outer tail feathers
• White wing bars
• White patch in wing, especially visible in flight
• Black legs