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This species is closely associated with coniferous, and to a lesser extent, mixed forests throughout its breeding range. It is a characteristic species of montane and subalpine spruce-fir forests across the southern interior, commonly ranging into patches of krummholz vegetation at and above treeline elevations. On the coast, this species typically occurs in montane and subalpine forests of fir, mountain hemlock, and yellow-cedar, but also ranges locally down into coniferous forests at or near sea level along the outer coast (especially along the northern coast and on the Queen Charlotte Islands). In the central and, especially, northeastern parts of the interior, the Hermit Thrush is characteristic of mixed, and even deciduous, forest stands, although it also regularly occurs in pure coniferous forests. Throughout its breeding range, it is most abundant in moist to mesic forests and riparian habitats with a dense shrubby understory (including the edges of beaver ponds, bogs, lakeshore thickets, and forested swamps), especially where berry-producing shrubs are plentiful, and occurs both along forest edges as well as within the forest interior. Wintering birds on the south coast are most common in mature and second-growth coniferous forests, but also occur in low densities in younger forests and other brushy habitats; wintering birds are also sometimes observed in suburban parks and gardens, especially where berry-producing shrubs are present. Spring and fall migrants are found in a wide variety of brushy and forested habitats, although they tend to prefer areas of dense cover (brushy forest edges, hedgerows, powerline rights-of-way, parks, etc.).

Source: Campbell et al. (1997)

Breeds across northern North America, from Alaska east to Newfoundland, as well as south through western Canada and the western United States to southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico and south through the Appalachians (eastern United States) to Virginia. Winters along the Pacific coast north to southwestern B.C., as well as across the southern and eastern United States (north to Arizona, New Mexico, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and New York) and throughout Mexico and northern Central America (Guatemala).

Breeding
Common throughout all of B.C., including all coastal islands (Queen Charlotte Islands, Vancouver Island, etc.). Primarily restricted to upper elevations across southern portions of the province, and thus largely absent from the dry interior valleys and the Georgia depression.

Winter
Generally rare to uncommon on Vancouver Island and the southern mainland coast (Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast), although it can be locally fairly common along the outer coast of Vancouver Island and locally in some of the forested valleys on northern parts of the island. Very rare in winter on the Queen Charlotte Islands, as well as in the southern Okanagan Valley of the south-central interior. Casual farther north in the interior in winter, with the northernmost winter record from Williams Lake.

Migration and Vagrancy
Fairly common to common spring and fall migrant throughout all of British Columbia, including all offshore islands. Populations breeding in northern B.C. (especially those east of the Rockies) follow a different (easterly) migration path from those breeding elsewhere across the province, and therefore tend to arrive slightly later in the spring and depart earlier in the fall.

The first spring migrants begin moving north through the south coast in late March and early April, although some of the earliest arrivals may be difficult to separate from overwintering birds. Peak northward movement along the coast occurs between mid-April and early May, with the latest spring migrants moving through the region in late May or early June. Farther north along the coast (e.g., Queen Charlotte Islands), spring migrants do not begin to appear until mid- to late April, with peak movements occurring during the latter half of May and early June. In the southern interior, the first spring migrants arrive in the Okanagan Valley in early April and elsewhere across the southern interior in late April or early May; peak northward movements across the southern interior occur during May. The first spring migrants do not reach the central and northern interior until early May (exceptionally late April), with peak movements occurring between mid-May and early June.

The first southward-bound fall migrants depart the breeding grounds in northern B.C. in mid-July, with numbers declining rapidly through late July and early August; most individuals have departed northern B.C. by late August, with exceptional individuals lingering into early September. In central B.C., most southward movement occurs during August and September, with occasional birds lingering into early or even mid-October. Across the southern interior, fall migration occurs primarily during August and September (slightly later in the Okanagan Valley), with the latest individuals lingering in the southern valleys into October or even November. On the coast, most southward-bound fall movement occurs during September and October, with peak movements occurring between late September and mid-October. Small numbers continue to move through the coast (primarily the south coast) in November and early December, with the latter birds difficult to discern from overwintering individuals.

Source: Campbell et al. (1997)

This is a common and widespread species throughout B.C., and is not recognized as a species of concern at either the federal (COSEWIC [Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada] or provincial (BC CDC [Conservation Data Centre]) levels.

The Hermit Thrush is one of the most geographically variable species in North America. Although 13 or more subspecies have been recognized for North America by some authors (e.g., Pyle, 1997), several of these have been incoporated into more broadly-defined subspecies by other authors (e.g., Jones and Donovan, 1996); the latter authors describe only 8 subspecies. The subspecies are grouped into three relatively well-defined subspecies groups, including a smaller and browner Pacific coastal group (three subspecies), a larger and greyer interior mountain group (three subspecies), and a mid-sized and brighter boreal/eastern group (two subspecies). British Columbia breeding populations include representatives of each of these three subspecies groups.

Based on the taxonomic classification of Jones and Donovan (1996), the following four subspecies occur in British Columbia:

Catharus guttatus guttatus
This subspecies, which is the most widespread and common member of the “Pacific coastal” subspecies group, breeds throughout most of the northwestern, central, and south-central interior of B.C. and winters sporadically on the southwest coast of the province. This subspecies is similar to C.g.nanus, but averages slightly larger, with paler brown upperparts, paler grey flanks, and slightly whiter underparts. Birds breeding in the southern interior that average slightly browner (less rufescent) have been called C.g.oromelas (Oberholser), while individuals breeding in the central interior that may average slightly larger and broader-billed than other populations have been designated C.g.munroi Phillips; neither of these subspecies is recognized here.

Catharus guttatus nanus (Audubon)
This subspecies, which is a member of the “Pacific coastal” subspecies group, breeds along the coast of British Columbia, including the Queen Charlotte Islands and Vancouver Island, and winters on Vancouver Island and the southern mainland coast. It is similar to the more widespread C.g.guttatus, but is smaller and darker, with darker grey flanks and a slightly buffier (on average) breast. Birds breeding on the Queen Charlotte Islands and Vancouver Island are somewhat darker brown on the upperparts than birds elsewhere in the subspecies’ breeding range, with heavier dark spotting and a stronger buff wash on the breast and paler grey flanks; these birds are sometimes separated as C.g.vaccinius (Cumming).

Catharus guttatus auduboni (Baird)
This is the only member of the “interior mountain” subspecies group in British Columbia. It breeds throughout the mountains of the southeastern interior. It is larger and paler than other subspecies in B.C., with a greyer head and upperparts and a brighter, more strongly contrasting rufous rump and tail; the whiter underparts are more boldly spotted with larger, blacker spots.

Catharus guttatus faxoni (Bangs and Penard)
This is the only provincial representative of the “boreal/eastern” subspecies group. It breeds throughout northeastern B.C. east of the Rocky Mountains, as well as throughout the Liard Basin and other areas of northern B.C. south of the Yukon border. This subspecies is somewhat similar to the Pacific coastal subspecies (C.g.guttatus, C.g.nanus), but is more rufous-tinged on the upperparts, has a heavy buff wash on the flanks, and has less strongly contrasting dark spots on the buffy-white breast which fade to greyish towards the belly.

Source: Jones and Donovan (1996); Pyle (1997)