The Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) is a small North American thrush. This secretive bird lives in forests across much of North America. Hermit Thrushes breed in the northern parts of North America and winter in the southern parts. Their preferred habitat is moist, shady forests with lots of undergrowth. Let’s take a closer look at where these birds can be found throughout the year.
Breeding Range
Hermit Thrushes breed in the boreal and montane forests across Canada, Alaska, and the northern parts of the continental United States. Their breeding range extends from:
- Alaska across northern and central Canada to Newfoundland and Labrador
- South in the western mountains to southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico
- South in the eastern mountains to Georgia and South Carolina
Some key areas where they breed include:
- The Pacific Northwest – coastal rainforests from Alaska to northern California provide prime nesting habitat.
- The Rocky Mountains – montane forests stretching from British Columbia to Colorado.
- The Appalachian Mountains – deciduous and mixed forests from Georgia to Maine.
- The boreal forests of Canada – including parts of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada.
Hermit Thrushes are most abundant in mature coniferous or mixed forests with dense understory vegetation. They prefer damp areas near streams, bogs, and seeps. Prime habitat features dense cover down low for nesting and foraging.
Wintering Range
In winter, Hermit Thrushes migrate south to the southern United States, Mexico, and Central America. Their winter range stretches from:
- Southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico south through Mexico
- The Gulf Coast states south through Mexico and Central America to Panama
- Virginia and the Carolinas south through Florida and the Caribbean Islands
Some of the key areas used by wintering and migrating Hermit Thrushes include:
- The southeastern United States – especially maritime forests and swamps along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
- Southern California and the desert Southwest – desert oases and riparian areas provide habitat.
- Mexico – pine-oak and cloud forests across the mountains and interior highlands.
- Central America – middle elevations in humid broadleaf forests from Panama to southern Mexico.
- Caribbean islands – moist forests across the Greater Antilles and Bahamas.
As during breeding, they prefer humid forests with dense understory cover. They are often found near streams, swamps, and shady ravines on their wintering grounds.
Migration Routes
Hermit Thrushes migrate long distances between their breeding and wintering grounds. In fall, they take a direct southerly route across the Great Plains and Mississippi Valley to reach their wintering areas.
In spring, their return migration is more diffuse across a broader front as individuals spread out to reach breeding territories across North America. Key migration routes include:
- The Central Flyway from the Rocky Mountains east to the Mississippi River valley
- The Mississippi Flyway along the Mississippi River corridor
- The Atlantic Flyway along the eastern seaboard
Some migrating Hermit Thrushes will stop over for a period ranging from a few days to a few weeks to rest and feed before resuming migration. Favorable stopover habitats include:
- Riparian areas and wetlands along river corridors
- Parks and suburban woodlots
- Coastal maritime forests and live oak hammocks along the Gulf and southeastern Atlantic coast
These small thrushes often go unnoticed as they silently forage through the understory during migration. But millions make the incredible journeys between their far-flung breeding and wintering grounds each year.
Year-Round Range
While most Hermit Thrushes migrate, some populations at the southern edge of their breeding range remain in the same area year-round. Year-round populations occur in:
- The highlands of central Mexico
- The Appalachian Mountains from Virginia to Georgia
- The Pacific Coast from British Columbia to northern California
- Coastal maritime forests of the southeastern United States
These resident populations may make small elevational movements between breeding and wintering areas. But they do not make the long-distance migrations that most Hermit Thrushes undertake each year.
Habitats Used
Hermit Thrushes use a variety of forest habitats throughout their range:
Breeding
- Coniferous forests – spruce, fir, hemlock, pine, and redwood forests
- Mixed forests – especially hemlock-hardwood, spruce-broadleaf mixes
- Northern hardwood forests – with aspens, birches, maples etc.
- Montane shrublands
- Muskegs and spruce bogs
Ideal breeding habitat has a dense understory of shrubs, ferns, and downed logs.
Migration
- Riparian woodlands along rivers and streams
- Parks, gardens, and suburban woodlots
- Coastal forests, live oak hammocks, and mangroves
- Any habitat with shrubs and dense cover down low
Winter
- Tropical and subtropical broadleaf forests – from cloud forests to lowland rainforests
- Pine-oak woodlands
- Maritime forests along the Gulf and southeastern Atlantic coasts
- Desert oases and riparian woodlands in the Southwest
- Mangrove forests in Florida, the Caribbean, and Central America
Moist forests with a dense understory are used throughout the year by migratory and resident populations.
Elevational Range
Hermit Thrushes occupy a large elevational range:
- Breeding – From sea level to treeline, primarily middle elevations
- Wintering – From sea level to over 10,000 feet in mountain forests
Some key aspects of their elevational range:
- In the western mountains, they breed from 1,500-8,500 feet elevation.
- In the East, they breed from 2,000-5,500 feet in the Appalachians and lower in the boreal forest region.
- On migration and in winter, they descend to low elevations including sea level.
- In Mexico and Central America, they winter up to 10,000 feet elevation in humid highland forests.
So while they primarily nest at middle elevations, Hermit Thrushes use a broad range of elevations throughout the year. Migrants and wintering birds can be found at all elevations wherever suitable forest habitat exists.
Population Estimates
Hermit Thrushes are common across their extensive range. Partners in Flight estimates a global breeding population of 14 million with 83% spending some part of the year in the U.S. (12 million). Their population seems to have increased from the 1960s to the 1990s.
Trends according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey:
- 1966-2015: +1.5% per year
- 2005-2015: +0.4% per year
So while still increasing, the rate of population growth has slowed in the past decade. But with such a large population, Hermit Thrushes remain common across North America. They face no major threats at this time.
Range Maps
The following maps from the Birds of the World illustrate the breeding, wintering, migration, and year-round ranges of the Hermit Thrush:
| Breeding range | Winter range |
These maps illustrate how Hermit Thrushes breed across Canada and the northern U.S. before migrating to wintering sites further south. A few isolated populations in the southern Appalachians and along the Pacific Coast remain year-round.
Conclusion
In summary, Hermit Thrushes are migratory songbirds that breed in northern forests and winter in southern latitudes:
- Breed in boreal, montane, and northern hardwood forests.
- Winter across the southern U.S., Mexico, and Central America.
- Migrate along the Central and Mississippi flyways.
- Occuppy elevations from sea level to treeline.
- Use a variety of forest types and successional stages.
- Require moist sites with dense understory.
While populations are healthy, these birds still face threats like habitat loss and climate change. Conserving their breeding and wintering habitats will be key to preserving Hermit Thrush populations into the future. Understanding their range and habitat needs provides insights to better protect these migratory songbirds.
