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Wild About Illinois Birds
Bluebirds, Veerys, Thrushes, Catbirds, Thrashers and Mockingbirds
Family and Species Gallery
Order Passeriformes - These are birds with adaptations for holding on to thin twigs or stems. Three of the toes on each foot face forward and one backward to help it grasp and balance on small branches.
Family Turdidae (Thrushes) - Most of these birds have either a brown back and spotted breast as an adult or an immature. They are strong singers. The bill is slim, and the eyes are large. They eat a variety of invertebrate animals and fruits.
eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis)
mountain bluebird (Sialia currucoides)
Townsend’s solitaire (Myadestes townsendi)
veery (Catharus fuscescens)
gray-cheeked thrush (Catharus minimus)
Swainson’s thrush (Catharus ustulatus)
hermit thrush (Catharus guttatus)
wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)
American robin (Turdus migratorius)
varied thrush (Ixoreus naevius)
Family Mimidae (Mockingbirds and Thrashers) - These large birds are fine singers, and some are mimics. The tail is long, and the bill is long and curved downward. They feed on insects and fruits.
gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)
brown thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)
sage thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus)
northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)