NAME: Catharus fuscescens COMMON NAME: Veery; Wilson’s Thrush; Tawny Thrush

TAXONOMIC UNIQUENESS: Formerly in the family Muscicapidae; the elevation of subfamilies to family rank and the new taxonomic order has been adopted by the 1997 American Ornithologists ’ Union (AOU) “Check-list Committee ” (AOU 1997 in BISON 2000). The AOU Checklist (1957) recognized 3 subspecies of Veery: fuscescens, fuliginosus, and salicicola). Phillips (1991) recognized these and named 2 new ones (levyi and pulichorum). C. f. salicicola is the subspecies that occurs in Arizona. Veery plus the Gray-cheeked, Swainson’s and Hermit thrushes, formerly included in genus Hylocichla. Only the Wood Thrush (H. mustelina) remains in this genus. DESCRIPTION: Medium sized thrush, about 6.5-7.75 in long (16.5-19.7 cm). Upper-parts, including back, tail, and wings, uniformly tawny brown; underparts, including throat and chest, buff with only indistinct reddish brown spots (spots larger in western birds). Belly white with gray flanks. Toes and rear of tarsi entirely pallid (Phillips 1991). Bill thin with pale base; face gray with indistinct grayish eye-ring. Sexes outwardly monomorphic but can be separated (within age groups) by wing and tail lengths (Moskoff 1995). Adult win