This elusive bird can be seen only by the keenest of eyes. I have seen only a few of them in my birding career, but when I do see them I easily pick out several interesting behaviors. For instance, they usually call from the ground or a low branch. When they call they point their heads towards the sky and do a sort of waddle forward. When I noted this behavior the bird was on a low branch, but I've never seen then do it on the ground. I'm determined to find out if they do this on both branches and the ground. Ovenbirds resemble thrushes, but they are actually in the wood warbler family. The two things that help me distinguish an Ovenbird from a thrush is it's distinctive song that truly says "teacher, teacher, Teacher, TEACHER," (growing increasingly loud with each syllable) and it's size (Ovenbirds are smaller than thrushes.) Ovenbirds prefers Mixed mid-mature growth woods (found in the same habitats as Hermit thrushes.)

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