Catharus Fuscescens the Veery, Like Most Woodland Thrushes, Is More

Veery Catharus fuscescens The Veery, like most woodland thrushes, is more frequently heard than seen. Most bird ers are familiar with its veer alarm call. Its melodious song, a series of downward spiraling notes, rivals that of the Hermit Thrush. Veeries breed throughout Vermont; their range of accepted habitats overlaps that of all other thrushes except the Gray cheeked. Although accepting a nearly ubiq uitous array of breeding areas, in Connecti cut Veeries preferred moist sites (Berlin 1977) and, indeed, few swamps or moist son's thrushes in overlapping territories woodlands in the Northeast are unoccupied (D. P. Kibbe, pers. observ.). by Veeries. However, Vermont's greatest re The Veery's bulky nest is built on a thick corded breeding densities for the Veery-64 foundation of dead leaves, usually among to 91 pairs per 100 ha (26 to 37 pairs per saplings or in shrubbery on or near the lOa a)-have been found in habitat com ground. Three to 5 pale blue eggs are laid; posed of mixed forest and old fields in cen they are incubated for II to 12 days. Twenty tral Vermont (Nicholson 1973, 1975, 1978). three Vermont egg dates range from May 26 Dilger (195 6a) found that Veeries preferred to July 23, with a peak in early June. Nest disturbed (cutover) forests, presumably lings grow rapidly, and they may leave the because of dense undergrowth there. The nest in as few as 10 days. Nestlings have Veery's acceptance of varied habitat is not been found as early as June 10 and as late surprising in light of its geographic distri as July 6. The fledglings' period of depen bution: it breeds nearly coast to coast across dence is unknown, although it is likely to be the northern u.s. and southern Canada. equally as long as the nestling period. Fledg The male Veery, like the Wood Thrush, lings sport buff-tipped wing coverts until usually arrives in Vermont's woodlands dur the postjuvenile molt in September, and can ing the first week of May. Advertising songs be readily recognized. Fledglings have been attract the female, but full pair bonding is recorded from July 7 to August 8, which only achieved following several days of pur would seem to indicate that two broods may suit by the male. Song bouts are particularly be raised per year. Late nestings may, how concentrated at dawn and dusk, with sing ever, be a consequence of earlier nest fail ing during the latter period most intense. As ures. Postbreeding birds molt and become might be expected of a rather drab dweller rather secretive until their flight feathers are of dimly lit forest thickets, plumage charac fully regrown. teristics account for little in species recog Confirmations of breeding by Veeries nition, and vocalizations are important were relatively easy to achieve during the (Dilger 1956a). Interspecific competition Atlas Project because adults with food for occurs between similarly plumaged members young are conspicuous as they defend their of the genus. Various aggressive displays nestlings. Sixty-four percent of all priority (gaping, spreading of the breast plumage, block sightings were confirmations. The spe crest raising) are shown by all members of cies was missing from only three priority the genus that occur in Vermont, and pre blocks statewide; two of these blocks were sumably result in some spatial separation in in the Champlain Lowlands, where exten nesting areas; still, it is not uncommon to sive agriculture has eliminated much of this find the Veery and Wood, Hermit, or Swain- species' breeding habitat. 240 Species Confirmed as Breeders in Vermont No. of priority blocks in which recorded TOTAL 176 (98%) Possible breeding: 8 (4 % of total) Probable breeding: 56 (32% of total) Confirmed breeding: 112 (64% of tot~l) Physiographic regions in which recorded % of %of species' no. of region's total priority priority priority blocks blocks blocks Champlain Lowlands 29 94 16 Green Mountains 54 100 3I North Central 19 100 II Northeast Highlands 16 100 9 20 40 so ,,' East Central 19 100 II Taconic Mountains 16 100 9 10 20 I I Eastern Foothills 23 96 13 n' During the breeding season, the Veery's Forbush I925), recent reforestation has diet is principally insect material. Veeries probably benefited the species. Vermont forage extensively on or near the ground, data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service searching under leaves and on low vegeta Breeding Bird survey since I966 indicate an tion for invertebrates. Migrant and molting average annual increase in the Veery popula birds can be usually found in dense berry tion of more than 3% (BBS I966-79). patches since Veeries, like all thrushes, are DOUGLAS P. KIBBE fond of fruits. Veeries depart from Vermont by the third week in September for their wintering grounds, which extend from Central Amer ica to Brazil. There is, however, an excep tional Vermont record for December (RVB, Winter I98I-82). Although the Veery has always been con sidered common in the state (Allen I909; Veery 241.

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