It was named after Eugene Bicknell, an American amateur ornithologist, who made the first scientific discovery of the species on Slide Mountain in the Catskills in the late 19th century.
[3] Bicknell's thrush scattered breeding range extends from southeastern Quebec to Nova Scotia in Canada and the sky islands of northern New England and the Adirondacks and Catskills in New York.
[10] The birds migrate to the Greater Antilles, with an estimated 90% of the individuals wintering in Hispaniola (mostly in the Dominican Republic, but also Haiti).
[8] The nest itself is typically a bulky cup made of twigs and moss, close to the trunk of a conifer at base of horizontal branches, usually 2 meters above ground.
While the incubation period is about two weeks, nestlings, fed by both parents, grow rapidly, developing in 12 days from peanut-sized hatchlings to completely feathered adult-sized birds.
[14] Predators confirmed to hunt nesting adults have consisted of the sharp-shinned hawk, the long-tailed weasel, and the northern saw-whet owl.
[18] Foraging technique varies but Bicknell's thrush mostly searches by pausing and peering, marked by hops and short flights.
Mountain Birdwatch data suggest that Bicknell's thrush populations have declined by an average of -3.88% per year (95% Bayesian credible interval: -5.27% to -2.52%) in northern New England and northeastern New York since 2010.
Scientists believe that industrial pollution is one of the main reasons for the decline of the red spruce, an important element in Bicknell's thrush habitat in the United States.
Furthermore, based on expected substantial carbon dioxide increases by the end of the century, scientists predict a radical reduction of balsam fir forest in the eastern United States and Canada.
If average global temperatures increase and forests change as much as predicted, Bicknell's thrush habitat is very likely to be altered in ways that may seriously affect the species' survival.
Industrial forestry practices, although possibly harmful, may be modified to aid in conservation efforts to protect Bicknell's thrush.
While more study is needed, the bird's apparent acceptance of certain commercial second-growth forest gives promise to possibilities of man-made "growing" Bicknell's thrush habitats in the future.
[22] Mercury level increases greatly with altitude and its concentration bioaccumulate in the food web, probably explaining why it decreases as breeding season advances and birds begin to feed more on fruits.
The Dominican Republic's native forests are under considerable pressure from naturally occurring events such as hurricanes, as well as changes from agricultural activities, particularly at low altitudes.
[23] Near ski trails, maintaining vegetation on edges in a gradual slope and keeping large forested “islands” between leaves better habitat for Bicknell's thrush.
In areas where infrastructures are built in favorable Bicknell's thrush habitat, restoration of non-permanent modifications in the environment by reforesting is recommended.