Wilson's thrush, Tawny thrush
The veery (Catharus fuscescens) is a small North American thrush species. This bird is named for its common call and its specific name fuscescens is New Latin for "blackish".
Adult veeries are mainly light brown on the upperparts. The underparts are white; the breast is light tawny with faint brownish spots. Veeries have the characteristic under-wing stripe, pink legs, and a poorly defined eye ring. Birds in the eastern portions of the species' breeding range are more cinnamon on the upper parts; western birds are more olive-brown.
Veeries breed humid deciduous forests and woodlands across southern Canada and the northern United States. They prefer to breed in dense growth and dense understory close to a water source, such as a stream. These birds migrate to eastern South America; their winter range may include the entire Amazon basin, Mérida state in Venezuela, the headwaters of the Orinoco River, and São Paulo state, Brazil. Stopover regions during migration of several veeries from Delaware include the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, the coasts of the Carolinas, Cuba, Jamaica, Colombia, and Venezuela. They are very rare vagrants in Western Europe.
Veeries are secretive birds that are often heard but rarely seen. They forage during the day on the forest floor, flipping leaves to uncover insects; they may also fly up to catch insects in flight. Despite their size, veeries are very strong flyers. They typically migrate at night keeping the flock together with contact calls. Their most common call is a harsh, descending ‘vee-er’. Other calls include a chuckle, a sharp and low ‘wuck’, and a slow ‘wee-u’. Veeries are also known for their breezy, downward-spiraling, flute-like song, often given from a low and concealed perch.
Veeries are mainly carnivores (insectivores) and herivores (frugivores). They eat a wide range of insects and berries. Insects are the main food source during the breeding season, while fruit and berries may compose most of the diet during the late summer and fall.
Veeries are monogamous birds. They form pairs and usually raise one brood per season. The male chooses a nesting site which it then defends from other males and attracts females by singing. Veeries make a cup nest on the ground or near the base of a shrub. The nest consists of three structural layers, including outer, inner, and nest lining layers. The outer layer consists of leaves and supporting branches, while the inner layer consists of material woven together. Nest lining consists of flexible material such as bark, roots, and seeds. The female lays 3 to 5 greenish-blue eggs that may or may not have brown spots. The eggs are incubated for 10 to 14 days by the female, while both parents feed nestlings. Young veeries grow quickly and can leave the nest between 10 and 12 days after they hatch.
These small birds are threatened by nest parasitism by Brown-headed cowbirds, climate change, and alteration of Amazonian lowland forests. There have been concerns that the use of invasive/alien plant parts may decrease the nesting success of veeries, but negative impacts have not been documented. Other potential threats include the loss of woodland habitat, squirrels, chipmunks, and raptors.
According to IUCN Red List, the total population size of the veery is 11 million breeding individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are decreasing.