Fun Veery Facts For Kids

A veery is a type of thrush with the ability to be melodic at will, depending on their surroundings. Typically a small bird, the veery is known for its lower number of spots as compared to the other similar species.

These are migratory birds that don’t have a massive range. However, considering their size, their range of travel in one flight is still pretty impressive.

Keep reading and learn to find out more about the American spotted thrush, the veery. After reading these interesting facts about veery thrush, check out our other interesting articles on common kingfisher facts and birds of paradise facts.

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Veery Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a veery?

The veery is a type of bird characterized by its light brown and white feathers, which have spots all over them. These birds are commonly spotted foraging in the forest floor in their natural habitat in North America.

What class of animal does a veery ​belong to?

The veery is a bird which, therefore, falls under the class of Aves due to the fact that it is a vertebrate creature with feathers, beaks, lays eggs to reproduce, and is warm-blooded.

How many veeries are there in the world?

Even though it is only an estimated number, the global population of the veery is believed to be roughly 11 million in North America.

It is worth noting and pointing out that even though the veery is fairly abundant in number in its habitat, the population of this American spotted thrush has been on a consistent decline over the past decade or so.

Their population can be found mainly in their natural habitat of disturbed forests where protection for veery nest sites is available amidst dense understory.

Where does a veery live?

Veeries nest in the woodlands which not only have a dense understory but also have some form of a water body, preferably a running river or a stream, nearby. These nesting birds are also observed to breed in swampy parts of forests.

What is a veery's habitat?

The veery habitat is typically found in forests that classify as humid deciduous forests. Generally, veeries prefer forests which have water bodies or rivers and stream in its vicinity and have plenty of undergrowth where these thrushes can construct their nests and protect them.

These forests can be forests of trees such as alder, fir, oak, cherry, maple, birch, and other types.

Who do veeries live with?

Veeries typically have been observed to live either alone or with its partner. After reproducing, veeries take care of their young ones for about 12 days after hatching, following which the young ones leave the nest. Since these nesting birds live in forests, thrushes are generally far away from human beings.

How long does a veery live?

The veery bird has an expected life expectancy of about 10 years on average while living in their natural habitat of forest regions of North America.

How do they reproduce?

To find a mate, the veery will gradually allow a female into his territory, following which, as bonding activities, male and female veery birds will go on flights together. Once these thrushes do mate, the female will lay a clutch of 3-5 eggs which she will incubate all by herself.

The male, during the incubation period, will forage for food and bring them back for the female.

The incubation period of veery birds’ eggs lasts about 2 weeks, following which the veery eggs hatch.

Upon hatching, the chicks are completely featherless and of course, tiny creatures. Both the mother and the father care for the chicks for around 12 days after which the juveniles leave the nest to go and fend for themselves.

What is their conservation status?

The veery is classified as a species of least concern with respect to its conservation status by the IUCN. However, the past decade or so has witnessed a consistent decline of the veery bird population, necessitating conservation efforts.

Even though the present global population of the veery bird stands at roughly 11 million, this nesting species will soon require targeted conservation efforts to preserve it if the species keep losing its population at the current rate.

Veery Fun Facts

What do veeries look like?

Veery birds are a type of American spotted thrushes. However, it is known to be the one with the least number of spots on its body.

Typically, the veery is a light brown color that closely resembles the color of cinnamon on its back and on its upper wings.

Near and around its breast, the veery is often a light-yellow color that fades into white as it goes toward the underbody. Their legs are known for their peculiar pink color, and their eyes, unlike many other birds, do not have a clear and well-defined ring around their eyes.

How cute are they?

Being tiny birds that also have the ability to sing, the veery is an incredibly cute species of nesting birds that live in dense forest regions of North America.

How do they communicate?

Veeries communicate using their song or with their characteristic veery call that sounds like ‘veeer’, which is also the reason for its name as well.  

How big is a veery?

This species of bird only measures about 5.7-7.1 in (14.4-18.0 cm). Being a small bird the veery bird’s wingspan is observed to be roughly around 12 in (30.48 cm). This means the veery bird is just a little smaller in length than a man’s forearm or a little smaller than a common crow.

How fast can a veery ​fly?

Being migratory birds, the veery can fly fairly fast and cover about 180 miles (289.7 km) in a single night of flying.

How much does a veery weigh?

Being a small bird, the veery weighs only about 1.0-1.9 oz (0.02-0.05 kg) on average.

What are their male and female names of the species?

There is no specific designation allotted to the members of species Catharus fuscescens based on their sex. The males are referred to as male veery while females are referred to as female veery.

What would you call a baby veery?

Baby veery birds would typically be referred to as veery chicks.

What do they eat?

The veery diet comprises insects that these thrushes hunt for under the undercover in their natural habitat of dense forest regions in North America. Only sometimes does the veery fly to hunt for its daily diet of insects. Apart from insects, the veery has been known to consume berries from time to time too.

Are they dangerous?

No, birds of Catharus fuscescens species have not been observed to be a dangerous species toward humans or even animals for the most part unless these North American thrushes feel threatened.

Would they make a good pet?

No, veery birds would not make good pets for the simple reason that these birds of North America are migratory thrushes that live in dense forests which have plenty of undergrowth. It is nearly impossible to offer a similar environment at home as well as tend to their diet.

Did you know...

Veery birds have been observed to eavesdrop upon owls to avoid becoming their prey.

This species sings in pairs, much like a duet song, in the process of becoming mates.

The veery's adaptations

Their light brown color with some spots strewn across its body help it to camouflage in its natural densely wooded environment from predators.

The veery's song

Veery song is unique in the sense that while singing, the songs are generally of a resonating nature, and it sounds as if the bird is lowering the pitch of its notes and throughout its song, the bird will create different notes and melodies that it will belt out while making a sound that resembles 'veeeer'.

How to pronounce veery

The name of this species is pronounced exactly how it is spelled, veer-ee.

Veery vs hermit thrush

Despite being birds of similar species, there are several differences in their appearance. The main difference between the veery and the hermit thrush is in their tails.

While the former has a tail that stays in its neutral position most of the time, the hermit thrush usually oscillates its tail vertically constantly. In terms of color too these similar species are different as the hermit thrush is observed to be duller than the veery’s light brown shade.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these short-eared owl facts and skimmer facts.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Veery coloring pages.