slaty-backed nightingale thrush

bird

Also known as: Catharus fuscater

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July 13, 2026

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The slaty-backed nightingale thrush (C. fuscater) is one of 11 species of thrushes belonging to the New World genus Catharus. These birds are known for their slender build, rather drab plumage, and rich songs, which are reminiscent of the European nightingale.12

The slaty-backed nightingale thrush is found in mountain forests from Costa Rica to Bolivia. It measures about 16 cm (6.5 inches) long, with orange eye rims, bill, and legs, and unspotted underparts. In contrast, thrushes found in more northerly regions, sometimes classified under the genus Hylocichla, typically have whitish eye rims and spotted underparts.1

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nightingale thrush
…unspotted; an example is the slaty-backed nightingale thrush (C. fuscater), 16 cm (6.5 inches) long, of mountain forests from Costa Rica to Bolivia. In more northerly species, sometimes placed in the genus Hylocichla, the eye rims are whitish, the bill is dark, and the underparts are spotted. An example is…
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…unspotted; an example is the slaty-backed nightingale thrush (C. fuscater), 16 cm (6.5 inches) long, of mountain forests from Costa Rica to Bolivia. In more northerly species, sometimes placed in the genus Hylocichla, the eye rims are whitish, the bill is dark, and the underparts are spotted. An example is…
Read More