Bicknell's Thrush vs Eastern Bluebird
Catharus bicknelli compared with Sialia sialis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Bicknell's Thrush | Eastern Bluebird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Catharus bicknelli | Sialia sialis |
| Order | Passeriformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Turdidae | Turdidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 17.5 cm (6.9 in) |
| Wingspan | 18.2 cm (7.2 in) | 27.0 cm (10.6 in) |
| Weight | 27.583333333333332 g (0.97 oz) | 31.0 g (1.09 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Insects in summer, berries in winter. Hunts from low perches, dropping to the ground to … |
| Clutch Size | 3-4 | 4-5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Eastern Bluebird
Open woodland, farmland edges, orchards, and parks with scattered trees and open ground. Readily uses nest boxes.
Song & Call Comparison
Bicknell's Thrush
Eastern Bluebird
A rich, melodious warbled 'chur-wi, tur-a-lee' song. Both sexes sing. Call is a soft, musical 'turee'. Song is gentle and flute-like, suggesting a small thrush. Given from exposed perch.
Geographic Range & Migration
Bicknell's Thrush
Eastern Bluebird
Eastern North America from southern Canada to Honduras and Nicaragua. Partially migratory.
Conservation Status
Bicknell's Thrush
Eastern Bluebird
How to Tell Them Apart
Bicknell's Thrush
Eastern Bluebird
Males are vivid royal blue above with a rusty-red breast and white belly. Females are grey-blue with a paler rust breast.
Short, thin, dark bill
About These Birds
Bicknell's Thrush
Bicknell's Thrush is a vulnerable, secretive thrush that breeds in dense montane spruce-fir forests in the northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. It has brown upperparts, spotted buff-white underparts, and a faint yellowish base to the lower mandible. It winters in the Caribbean, particularly Hispaniola, where it is threatened by habitat loss at both ends of its migration.
Eastern Bluebird
The eastern bluebird is a beloved symbol of happiness in North America. Once declining due to habitat loss and competition from introduced species, populations recovered dramatically thanks to a massive citizen science nest box campaign. These gentle thrushes form loose winter flocks and huddle together in nest boxes during cold snaps.