Juveniles are predominantly greenish gray with a pale belly and some spots of buff colour on the head and wings.

It is more likely to be found at altitudes above 2000 m. The species tends to avoid dry conditions and densely forested areas, but sometimes occurs on the edges of Andean páramo or in shrublands.

The great thrush is a generalist feeder, principally foraging for fruits and berries but also taking invertebrates and even stealing eggs and nestlings.

It generally feeds on ground level, preferentially in short grass, but also visits fruiting trees and shrubs.

Breeding occurs at different times of the year depending on locality - March–April in Venezuela, January–August in Colombia, October in Ecuador, and February and June in Peru.

The nest is comparatively large and cup-shaped, made of small twigs, leaves, grass, and mud, and placed low in trees or shrubs.

The female lays two eggs of pale blue-greenish colour with reddish spots, with an average size of 2 cm.

The great thrush is common in a variety of habitats throughout its wide range and has been classified as Least Concern by the IUCN.