Clay-colored Thrush Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesClay-colored Thrush
Adult
Adult is brown above and slightly lighter below, with fine streaking on the throat, orange brown eyes, and a yellowish tip to the bill.
© Josiah Verbrugge / Macaulay LibrarySan José, December 19, 2019Adult
Found in yards, gardens, parks, and other open wooded habitats.
© Carlos Funes / Macaulay LibraryAlajuela, October 12, 2016Adult
A medium-sized songbird. Brownish overall. Note yellow bill, orange eye, and fine streaking on throat. Often feeds on berries and fruits.
© Josep del Hoyo / Macaulay LibraryAlajuela, October 16, 2022Juvenile
Juvenile has fine buffy markings on the wings and upper back, and has a darker eye than adult.
© Oliver Komar / Macaulay LibraryFrancisco Morazán, June 26, 2016Juvenile
Juvenile’s underparts are marked with dark splotches.
© Bobby Wilcox / Macaulay LibraryPuntarenas, July 30, 2016Adult
Visits feeding stations, where it eats bananas and other fruits.
© Josep del Hoyo / Macaulay LibraryChiriquí, October 23, 2022Adult
Eats mainly invertebrates as well as fruit from trees or feeding stations. Some individuals appear uniformly brown, with no contrast between upperparts and underparts.
© Christian Nunes / Macaulay LibraryCoclé, March 14, 2013Adult
Clay-colored Thrush’s musical caroling song is a cherished sound in Costa Rica, where it is the national bird.
© Hervé JACOB / Macaulay LibraryAlajuela, March 23, 2022Adult
Common calls include a series of soft “chup” notes.
© Eric Liner / Macaulay LibrarySan José, December 18, 2007Similar SpeciesBlack Thrush
Female
Female Black Thrush has a black bill and yellow legs, while Clay-colored Thrush has a yellowish bill and dark legs.
© Alberto Lobato (El Chivizcoyo) / Macaulay LibraryVeracruz, June 01, 2021Similar SpeciesMountain Thrush
Adult
Mountain Thrush has a black bill, barred undertail coverts, and is more grayish-brown.
© Larry Theller / Macaulay LibrarySan José, February 17, 2023Similar SpeciesPale-breasted Thrush
Adult
Pale-breasted Thrush has a gray head that contrasts with olive brown upperparts, while Clay-colored Thrush is a warm brown overall.
© Don Danko / Macaulay LibraryMagdalena, January 21, 2020Similar SpeciesBlack-hooded Thrush
Female
Female Black-hooded Thrush has a thin yellow eyering, an orange yellow bill, and is darker brown overall than Clay-colored Thrush, which is uniformly warm brown.
© Alejandro Cartagena Ramirez / Macaulay LibraryMagdalena, June 26, 2018Compare with Similar Species
Click on an image to compare
Species in This Family
Thrushes and Allies(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Turdidae)
More to Read
Don't miss a thing! Join our email list
The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds,
birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation.