Swainson's Thrush (nestlings)
"Olive-backed" subspecies
Catharus ustulatus swainsoni
Mt. Mitchell, Christmas Mountains, New Brunswick
29 June 2010
While searching for Bicknell's thrush nests, our team discovered a Swainson's thrush nest with three chicks. This nest was monitored and put under video surveillance until the chicks fledged. Unfortunately, only two of the three chicks lived to fledge; the third chick (seen here on the left) was outcompeted for food by its siblings and succumb to starvation in the nest.
We identify the individual birds by their band numbers, as chicks are too small to receive colour bands which we use to identify adult birds. From left to right, #2291-38997, #2291-38995, and #2291-38998 in the back.
