Northeast Siberia across Alaska and northern Canada to north-central Quebec, Labrador, and Newfoundland. South to northern British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. (Barker,2000)

During the winter, the Gray-Cheeked Thrush migrates to the northern part of South America into Colombia, Venezuela, south to Peru, and into northwest Brazil. (Chipper Woods Bird Observatory, 2000)

Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native ); neotropical (Native )

occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Breeding

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Breeding

Global Range: (>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)) Breeding range extends from northeastern Siberia and northern Alaska across northern Canada to Labrador and Newfoundland, south to southern Alaska, northwestern British Columbia, southern Mackenzie, northern Alberta (probably), northeastern Saskatchewan, northern Manitoba, extreme northern Ontario, south-central Quebec, and St. Pierre et Miquelon (Ouellet 1993, AOU 1995). During the northern winter, the species occurs mostly in northern South America: Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, and western Amazonian Brazil; perhaps mainly in southern Venezuela and western Amazon basin; Trinidad; rarely north to Panama, casually north to Costa Rica (Ouellet 1993, AOU 1995).

The length of the Gray-Cheeked Thrush is about 16 centimeters. The sexes are similar and have a distinctive song which is very high pitched with quick chippers. They have olive-brown upper parts, gray cheeks, and pink legs. The under parts are white with grayish flanks. It also has a gray, indistinct eye ring. (Laughlin,1985)

Average mass: 24.8 g.

Length: 18 cm

Weight: 33 grams

• Terrestrial

Occupant of the boreal forest of northern Canada and Alaska. Little is known about their winter habitat. (Laughlin, S.B.,1985)

They will seek cover under large rocks in sparsely vegetated arctic regions. (Barker, 2000)

Terrestrial Biomes: tundra ; taiga ; savanna or grassland ; forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest ; mountains

Comments: Coniferous forest (mainly spruce), tall shrubby areas in taiga, willow and alder thickets near water or above tree line (Ouellet 1993); in migration and winter also in deciduous forest, forest borders, open woodland, second growth, and scrub. Nests from ground level to about 6 m up, in willow, alder, or spruce (Terres 1980).

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Champion migrant among U.S. small thrushes, making the longest migration and, in some parts of its journey, the most rapid advance (Bent 1949). May follow an elliptical migration route; an easterly trans-Gulf route in fall and a westerly circum-Gulf route in spring (Rappole 1995). Migrates through Central America and the Bahamas, Cuba, Hispagnola, and Trinidad and Tobago (DeGraaf and Rappole 1995). Winters mostly in northern South America, rarely north to Panama, casually north to Costa Rica (Ouellet 1993; AOU 1995). Does not start its northward journey until many other species are well on their way (Bent 1949)

The Gray-Cheeked Thrush eats mostly insects such as beetles, weevils, ants, wasps, and caterpillars. They may also consume spiders, crayfish, sow bugs, and earthworms. They also eat grapes, wild cherries, blackberries, and raspberries.(Barker, 2000)

Their habit of eating berries contributes to the propagation of plants as undigested seeds are transported to other locations.(Chipper Woods Bird Observatory, 2000)

Comments: Main foods taken include insects and arthropods (Lowther et al. 2001). Primarily a ground feeder, foraging on ground insects and larvae, and on berries (Bent 1949, Kessel 1989). Beetles of many kinds, ants, wasps, bees (not honey bees), caterpillars, and spiders are important animal foods although grasshoppers, sowbugs, and earthworms are occasionally taken. On the tundra, feed primarily on crowberries and blueberries, while further south, these are replaced by blackberries, elderberries, and other fruits available without having to venture too far from cover (Gabrielson and Lincoln 1959). Regularly followed swarms of army ants in Panama (Ridgely and Gwynne 1989).

>1,000,000 individuals

Comments: Total population size is about 12,000,000 (Rich et al. 2004).

The only neotropical migrant whose breeding distribution includes northeastern Siberia. Least known of Catharus thrushes due to remote breeding range (Lowther et al. 2001). Shows considerable geographic overlap with four other thrushes, including two congeners, Swainson's Thrush (C. ustulatus) and Hermit Thrush (C. guttatus) (Lowther et al. 2001).

Average lifespan

Status: wild: 88 months.

The Gray-Cheeked Thrush usually has one brood per season. They will lay a second brood if the first nest fails early in the season. The female builds the nest which normally consists of dried grasses mixed with a supporting layer of mud. The incubation period is thirteen to fourteen days. They incubate between three to five eggs, but usually only four. The eggs are light greenish-blue, marked with light brown dots or splotches, and are oval to short-oval in shape. The young are initially dependent on their parents for food. (Barker, 2000)

Average time to hatching: 13 days.

Average eggs per season: 4.

Eggs are laid in June (mostly) and July. Clutch size is 3-6 (usually 4). Incubation, by female, lasts 12-14 days. Young are tended by both parents, leave nest at 11-13 days.

Gray-cheeked thrushes have a large range and large population size. They are protected by the U.S. Migratory Bird Act.

US Migratory Bird Act: protected

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

State of Michigan List: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N5B - Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5B - Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Reasons: Widespread, numerous, secure.

Comments: No major threats are known. Species is more likely affected by habitat alteration during nonbreeding season.

Biological Research Needs: Research needed on wintering ecology, habitat use, and behavior (Lowther et al. 2001). Research also needed to document carrying capacities of wintering grounds and stopover points in primary and disturbed habitats, evidence of breeding population declines, and basic non-breeding ecological data (Rappole 1995). Also, research on breeding distribution of Gray-cheeked and Bicknell's Thrush in a possible zone of contact along the northern shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence is needed to better understand species limits, isolating mechanisms, and whether hybridization occurs (Lowther et al. 2001). Banding studies needed to clarify migration patterns and stopover ecology, especially along the East Coast (Lowther et al. 2001).

Global Protection: Very many (>40) occurrences appropriately protected and managed

Comments: Many occurrences are in national parks, wilderness areas, and other well-protected or remote areas.

There are no negative affects on humans or the environment from the Gray-Cheeked Thrush.

The Gray-Cheeked Thrush benefits humans by eating insects that annoy or harm us.

Comments: This thrush formerly was placed in the genus Hylocichla (AOU 1983). Bicknell's Thrush (C. bicknelli) was formerly included as a subspecies of C. minimus; raised to full species status by Ouellet (1993) based on differences in morphology, bill and plumage color, vocalizations, and mtDNA. This change was accepted by AOU (1995).

Two subspecies are sometimes recognized: C. m. aliciae (Baird 1858) breeds from Alaska east to Labrador, south to northern Alberta; C. m. minimus (Lafresnaye 1848) breeds on Newfoundland and possibly northern Quebec (Lowther et al. 2001).