VARIED THRUSH

This bird, a member of the Thrush family [Robins, Bluebirds, etc.] presents a colorful addition to the winter landscape.  They frequent damp, shaded coniferous forests in the Pacific North-West and are normally quite secretive. However in winter they are often found in various sized flocks in ravines and thickets. Roughly the same size as a robin, with a somewhat shorter tail, the Varied Thrush has a black cap; an orange stripe on the side of the head; then a black eye stripe, over an orange throat. A black necklace adorns the breast and with orange wing bars this striking bird is easy to identify. Often the only indication of its presence is a single long eerie quavering whistle on one pitch, then on another pitch and so on. Once heard it is never forgotten and is reminiscent of heavily forested, damp forests. Their nest is constructed of poorly woven twigs and is located in an evergreen tree, 3 feet off the ground, usually at higher elevations; in the Okanagan, it nests in locations such as Silver Star and Brent Mountain. The nests contain 3 – 5 eggs, which are a beautiful blue colour.

.

SPOTTED TOWHEE

This bird, previously known as the Rufus Sided Towhee (and I still tend to refer to it as that), also has coloring of orange/red and black, although somewhat duller than the Varied Thrush. The head and wings are black. As the original name suggests, its sides are rufous in colour, with a white belly and noticeable white spots on its wings.  It balances with a long perky tail. It measures between 7 and 8 inches, is also found in dense brush scratching amongst dead leaves for food. But it will show itself when calling with a song that resemble that of a cat’s “meow”  It’s range extends from Southern Canada into Guatemala and Florida. The bird is often found in similar habitat to the Varied Thrush, along watercourses, lakeshores and close to ponds. Their nest is well covered by low shrubs, such as Oregon grape, red osier and snowberry and can be on the ground or in a low bush. It is made of grass, fine sticks Ponderosa Pine needles and lined with fine grass, containing between 3 and 6 eggs. The nest is often parasitized by the Brown-headed Cowbird. This Towhee often visits bird feeders in winter.

EVENING GROSBEAK

The Evening Grosbeak, is classed as a Finch, and is a chunky short tailed bird with a large conical whitish bill. Approximately the size of a starling, in coloring it does resemble an overgrown American Goldfinch. The male is a dull yellow with a dark head, and a bright yellow eye stripe and black and white wings. The female, as in most bird species, is much paler. The grosbeak is an uncommon summer resident, preferring boreal forests in northern and central B.C. and across Canada. They are more common in winter, at feeders, enjoying the new seeds of Manitoba maples, Chokecherries and Saskatoon berries. I have observed flocks of them in the introduced Russian-Olive trees, feeding on the fruit of which they seem particularly fond. Rarely are nests found in the Valley, the birds preferring to inhabit the Douglas Fir zone at higher elevations . The nest is a frail saucer with 3 or 4 eggs. Their song is a ringing “cleer”.

Pat Westheuser

Central Okanagan Naturalist Club.