What does the Varied Thrush eat?

The Varied Thrush's diet shapes where and when you'll find it. Understanding what it eats helps you predict where to look.

Diet overview

Omnivore, primarily insects and other invertebrates during breeding season, and fruits/berries in fall and winter.

How it forages

Forages primarily on the ground, scratching through leaf litter with both feet simultaneously in a characteristic 'double-scratch' motion. Diet consists mainly of insects (beetles, ants, caterpillars), spiders, and other invertebrates during the breeding season. In fall and winter, they switch to a diet rich in berries and fruits (e.g., salal, elderberry, cascara, madrone).

When it feeds

Diurnal, most active during early morning and late afternoon.

Explore the Varied Thrush