gray-cheeked thrush: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Both are correct, but they follow regional spelling conventions: 'gray-cheeked' is American English, and 'grey-cheeked' is British English. Scientific literature may use either, often depending on the publisher's location.

It breeds in remote northern boreal forests of Canada and Alaska. During migration (spring and autumn), it can be spotted, albeit rarely, in wooded areas across much of the eastern and central United States. It winters in South America.

Its song is a high-pitched, spiralling series of notes, often described as ethereal or haunting. Its call note is a distinctive, sharp 'veer' or 'quee-ah'.

The gray-cheeked thrush lacks the bold eye-ring of the hermit thrush and the buffy eye-ring/cheeks of the Swainson's thrush. Its most defining features are its uniformly grayish face with indistinct markings and its lack of warm reddish or brown tones on the tail or back.

A medium-sized North American migratory songbird (Catharus minimus) with predominantly grayish-brown plumage and distinctive gray patches on its cheeks.

Gray-cheeked thrush is usually technical / scientific in register.

Gray-cheeked thrush: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɡreɪ ˈtʃiːkt ˈθrʌʃ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɡreɪ ˈtʃikt ˈθrʌʃ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.