Although they are one of the most abundant breeding birds in forests and woodlands west of the Cascade crest, it can be difficult to actually see Swainson's thrushes. Drab plumage and the habit of sitting very still hides them from the eyes of would-be predators and birdwatchers alike, especially in the shrubby habitats they favor.

However, the beautiful song of this minstrel compensates for a lack of colorful plumage. During the longest days of summer, a chorus of liquid notes rising from the deep shadows each dawn and late afternoon reveals the actual abundance of this species in the conifer forests of western North America.

It is a very common summer resident in conifer forests throughout the Coast and Cascade ranges except the southern Cascades in Jackson County.

Hear the song of the Swainson's thrush

Photo by Minette Layne, Flickr