Swainson's Thrush

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Swainson's Thrush in Saguaro National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Swainson's Thrush sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 50 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

Q: When is the best time to see Swainson's Thrush in Saguaro National Park?

October has the highest sighting rate for Swainson's Thrush in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.

Catharus ustulatus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyTurdidae (Thrushes)
GenusCatharus (Brown Thrushes and Nightingale-Thrushes)
SpeciesCatharus ustulatus (Swainson's Thrush)

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

at Saguaro National Park

50 Verified sightings at Saguaro National Park From 2019 to 2026

44,018 Verified sightings across all 119 parks From 2019 to 2026

October Best month highest sighting rate

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Swainson's Thrush

Swainson's thrush (Catharus ustulatus), also called olive-backed thrush, russet-backed thrush, and salmonberry bird is a medium-sized thrush. It is a member of genus Catharus and is typical of it in terms of its subdued coloration and beautiful, ascending flute-like voice. Swainson's thrush was named after William Swainson, an English ornithologist.

The genus name Catharus comes from the Ancient Greek katharos, "pure or clean" and refers to the plumage of the orange-billed nightingale-thrush C. aurantiirostris. The specific ustulatus is Latin for "burnt", from urere, "to burn".

The breeding habitat of Swainson's thrush is coniferous woods with dense undergrowth across Canada, Alaska, and the northern United States; also, deciduous wooded areas on the Pacific coast of North America. These birds migrate to southern Mexico and as far south as Argentina. The coastal subspecies migrate down the Pacific coast of North America and winter from Mexico to Costa Rica, whereas the continental birds migrate eastwards within North America (a substantial detour) and then travel southwards via Florida to winter from Panama to Bolivia. Swainson... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Saguaro National Park

Catharus guttatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

LC Endemic

Turdus migratorius

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Sialia mexicana

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Myadestes townsendi

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Sialia currucoides

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Sialia sialis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

LC Endemic

Turdus rufopalliatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

LC Endemic

Ixoreus naevius

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Auriparus flaviceps

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

LC Endemic

Haemorhous mexicanus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Spinus psaltria

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Melozone aberti

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Gros Morne National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~50%
2	Gates of the Arctic National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~40%
3	El Triunfo	🇲🇽 Mexico	~40%
4	Jasper National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~30%
5	Glacier National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
6	Isle Royale National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
7	Banff National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~30%
8	Wrangell-St. Elias National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
9	Grand Teton National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
10	Redwood National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
11	Pacific Rim National Park Reserve	🇨🇦 Canada	~30%
12	Kluane National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~30%
13	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~30%
14	Madidi National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~20%
15	Nahanni National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
16	Great Bear Rainforest	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
17	Wood Buffalo National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
18	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~20%
19	Riding Mountain National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
20	La Tigra National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~20%
21	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
22	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
23	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
24	Denali National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
25	Elk Island National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~20%
26	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
27	Farallones de Cali National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~20%
28	Podocarpus National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~10%
29	Celaque National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~10%
30	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
31	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
32	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
33	Chirripó National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
34	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
35	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
36	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
37	Puracé National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
38	Cape Breton Highlands National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~10%
39	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~10%
40	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
41	Kenai Fjords National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
42	Olympic National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
43	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
44	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~10%
45	Cordillera Azul National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	~10%
46	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
47	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
48	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
49	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	~10%
50	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
51	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
52	Yellowstone National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
53	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
54	Volcán Barú National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
55	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
56	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
57	Los Quetzales National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
58	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
59	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
60	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
61	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
62	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
63	Chingaza National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
64	Katmai National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
65	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	~10%
66	Great Smoky Mountains National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
67	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
68	Voyageurs National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
69	Los Nevados National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
70	Cusuco National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
71	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
72	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
73	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
74	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
75	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
76	Rocky Mountain National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
77	Irazú Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
78	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
79	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
80	Channel Islands National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
81	Congaree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
82	Amboró National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	<5%
83	Badlands National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
84	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
85	Death Valley National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
86	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
87	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
88	Cajas National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
89	Big Bend National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
90	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
91	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
92	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
93	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
94	Masaya Volcano National Park	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	<5%
95	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
96	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	<5%
97	Chapada dos Guimarães National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	<5%
98	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
99	Yosemite National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
100	Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
101	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
102	Grand Canyon National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
103	Joshua Tree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
104	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
105	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
106	Utría National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
107	Isla del Coco National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
108	Coiba National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
109	Canaima National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	Insufficient data
110	Poás Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
111	Cabo Pulmo National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
112	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	Insufficient data
113	Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
114	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
115	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
116	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
117	Zion National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
118	Guadalupe Mountains National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
119	Lauca National Park	🇨🇱 Chile	Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Swainson's Thrush in Saguaro National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Swainson's Thrush sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 50 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Swainson's Thrush in Saguaro National Park?

October has the highest sighting rate for Swainson's Thrush in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Saguaro National Park

Swainson's Thrush

About the Swainson's Thrush

Closest Relatives at Saguaro National Park

Hermit Thrush

American Robin

Western Bluebird

Townsend's Solitaire

Mountain Bluebird

Eastern Bluebird

Rufous-backed Robin

Varied Thrush

Verdin

House Finch

Lesser Goldfinch

Abert's Towhee

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Quick answers