Migration: but no confirmed records of either species since 2015, and no records at all for Bicknell's Thrush, in part because of the species' overall scarcity, retiring habits, and the lack of observer familiarity with either species' vocalizations.
Miscellany: In 1995, taxonomists decided that Gray-cheeked Thrush was actually two species, Gray-cheeked Thrush, a continent spanning species, and Bicknell's Thrush, with a very limited and fragmented range in the northeastern U.S. and Canada. The only reliable way to tell the two apart in the field remains slight differences in their songs. It's likely that spring migrants in our area do sing on occasion but such songs are often softly voiced and hard to detect. Both species appear to have declined in the past 30 years, especially Gray-cheeks in Newfoundland but Bicknell's generally as well. These days a record of either species would be exceptional.
Last Reviewed: September 20th, 2026