Brown Thrasher or Wood Thrush: What Are The Differences?

The brown thrush and wood thrush are two birds native to eastern North America. They share similar plumage patterns, but when you look closely, the two birds look and behave very differently.

Perhaps the most striking difference in appearance between brown thrushes and thrushes is their size. Thrashers are exceptionally large birds with long beaks and tails. They also have distinctive yellow eyes. Thrushes, on the other hand, are smaller, rounder birds that look like robins.

The two species also have different habitat preferences. Thrushes inhabit eastern hardwood forests, while thrushes prefer open meadows and shrub habitats.

There are several other contrasts between wood thrush and brown thrush, which we discuss in more detail below. Read on to discover more!

brown thrush

wood thrush

Distribution difference

Brown thrushes and wood thrushes are native to eastern North America (east of the Rocky Mountains). Their range overlaps mainly in the northern half of the United States and southeastern Canada, where both birds spend their summer breeding season.

The overlap between the two species includes the east coast, south as far as Virginia, west as far as South Dakota (along the Missouri River) and the easternmost states of Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas .

The brown thrush’s range extends farther west, where it meets the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains. It also extends farther west in Canada, along the southern borders of Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan to Alberta.

Close up of a brown Thrasher foraging on the ground

The thrush, on the other hand, extends farther south. These birds overwinter in Central America, primarily on the Atlantic slopes from southern Veracruz, Mexico, to western Panama, and on the Pacific slopes, from Oaxaca, Mexico, to Panama.

Unlike the brown thrush (which overwinters in the southeastern U.S.), thrushes rarely overwinter in the U.S.

Close up of perched wood thrush

Which is bigger, the brown thrush or the wood thrush?

Wood thrushes are smaller in mass, beak, and tail length than brown thrushes. Thrushes weigh an average of 48 to 72 grams, depending on the time of year, while brown thrushes weigh between 68 and 89 grams.

Which is more common, the brown thrush or the wood thrush?

Neither the brown thrush nor the wood thrush is a rare species—both are listed as birds of low conservation concern. Which species is more common depends mostly on the habitat you’re looking for.

For example, the thrush prefers eastern hardwood forests, while the brown thrush inhabits open grassland, scrub and pine-oak scrub habitats.

Brown Thrush Perched in a Hedge

other differences

Eye

Brown thrushes and wood thrushes have distinctly different eyes. Thrushes have distinctive yellow irises and black pupils, while thrushes have pure black irises.

head type

Brown thrushes and wood thrushes also have markedly different head shapes. The toucan has a larger, more elongated head and a long beak. The thrush’s small round head is shaped more like a robin.

thrush singing on a branch

eating and hunting

Thrushes mainly eat small animals that live in the soil. They also eat snails, newts, insects and some fruit. These birds typically probe and gather food on the forest floor, or occasionally use their beaks to move leaves and spot prey.

Brown thrushes, on the other hand, mainly feed on insects such as beetles. They also eat fruits and nuts. The aptly named thresher shark uses its beak to quickly sweep across the ground, moving litter and picking up prey. Brown thrushes also occasionally catch flies.

flight

In flight, the long-tailed thrush exhibits slow, heavy, sometimes jerky movements. They usually fly low and fly only short distances when foraging.

Thrush is much smoother in flight. The bird’s short, broad wings give it a lot of power, even at low speeds.

Close up of a brown Thrasher at a bird feeder

call

Both species have fairly small call repertoires.The most common brown thrasher calls used by both sexes are check the box or tut tut, similar to a loud snap.Thrushes have a series of calls used to express excitement, these usually sound like slap, tut tutor brag.

When it comes to the songs expressed by the males of both species, the brown thrush has one of the loudest and longest repertoires of any bird in North America. Their calls usually consist of one or several sharp notes.

Male forest thrushes are much quieter. The first part of its song is low-pitched and barely audible unless you get close to the bird.The second part goes better; it consists of flute-like notes that sound like clay layer.

Close up portrait of a thrush

feather

While the plumage patterns of the two species are similar, a closer look reveals differences between them. Brown thrashers are dark brown above and tan below with black stripes. They also have white wing bars and yellowish eyes.

The thrush is more cinnamon brown, with olive brown wings and tail. Their underparts are also a brighter white with large black spots on the chest, sides, and flanks. The wood thrush has black eyes surrounded by dull white rings and pink legs.

Males and females of both species are sexually monomorphic, meaning there are no significant differences in their size or color patterns.

One of the quickest ways to tell is eye color – the brown thrush has a distinctive yellow color and the wood thrush has brown eyes

Female Brown Thrush vs Female Wood Thrush

The female brown thrush is larger than the female wood thrush, about 235-305 mm long and weighs an average of 69 grams. Female thrushes, on the other hand, are medium-sized birds weighing between 40-50 grams.

Female thrushes also have longer beaks and wings compared to thrushes. Additionally, brown thrushes have two white wing bars, while thrushes have solid colored wings.

Juvenile Brown Thrush vs Juvenile Wood Thrush

Juvenile brown and wood thrushes look similar to their parents. However, there are some key differences between a bird’s initial rudimentary plumage and its adult plumage.

Young forest thrushes are darker overall, with more stripes and spots on the top of the head, neck, back and wings. Juvenile Thrashers have lighter underparts and less prominent spots.

Also, their irises are not yellow, but olive gray. Both thrushes and thrushes retain their first basic plumage from June to August.