 Breeding evidence |
 Relative abundance |
 Probability of observation |
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Click on plot to view table of mean abundance
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Number of squares
Long-term BBS trends
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-3.74 (-5.27 - -2.24)|
Mean abundance (number of birds detected per 5 min. point count) and percentage of squares occupied by region Bird Conservation Regions [abund. plot]
[%squares plot]
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Atlas Results
Veery were found in 214 atlas squares, most from the southern half of the province. From the Boreal Transition southward, Veery were strongly associated with larger mixed and deciduous forest stands, including the relatively isolated Cypress Uplands and Moose Mountain in the south, as well as wooded riparian habitats and coulees. In the north, two were heard singing at separate sites in the Churchill River Upland, well north of their core distribution in the province, consistent with other northern outliers reported in both the Manitoba and Alberta Breeding Bird Atlases. A relatively shy bird, breeding was only confirmed in eight atlas squares.
Excerpts Adapted from the Birds of Saskatchewan:
The Veery charms listeners with hauntingly beautiful descending trills (Callin 1980) that have a reverberating quality, making it sound as if the bird is singing from the bottom of a well (Cumming in Leighton et al. 2002). This species has a narrow breeding range across the middle of the continent from the interior of British Columbia to Newfoundland, south to central Colorado and in the Appalachians south to Georgia. It winters in south central and southeastern Brazil.
The Veery prefers damp wooded coulees and creek valleys or shaded southern slopes. It is more likely to be found in the Qu'Appelle Valley than in the adjacent parklands (Callin 1980). Farther north, in areas of overlap with Swainson's and Hermit Thrushes, it prefers over-mature aspen-jack pine stands (SBDB). On migration it may be seen in all types of wooded habitats both natural and planted.
The Veery is a common summer resident in the aspen forests of the parklands and the Cypress Hills, restricted on the grasslands to treed coulees and riparian woodlands. It is uncommon in the southern boreal region, where there have been only three sightings from Besnard Lake, with no evidence of breeding. It is only a transient on the Regina Plain (Smith 1996).
Original text by Kim Clark. Text adapted by Daniel J. Sawatzky
Read more about the Veery in the Birds of Saskatchewan here.
Recommended citation: Latremouille, L. M. 2025. Veery in Latremouille, L. M., S. L. Van Wilgenburg, C. B. Jardine, D. Lepage, A. R. Couturier, D. Evans, D. Iles, and K. L. Drake (eds.). 2025. The Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Saskatchewan, 2017-2021. Birds Canada. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan https://sk.birdatlas.ca/accounts/speciesaccount.jsp?sp=VEER&lang=en [14 Nov 2025]
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