[6] The bird can be identified by its grayish face, partial pale eyering, drab gray-brown upperside and extensively dusky flanks.

[5] They are believed to spend their winter in the Amazon basin and will cross the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico during their spring migration.

[5] They breeding range includes the northern boreal forests from Newfoundland to Alaska in North America and across the Bering Sea to Eastern Siberia associated with dense conifer and broadleaf shrub thickets.

[12][13] C. minimus remains uncommon to rare in most regions of North America but can be spotted in any wooded habitat.

[14] Grey-cheeked thrushes prefer low coniferous woods, including young regenerating forests, open canopy old growth forests having a dense growth of shrubs and small conifers in the understory, and dense, stunted spruce and fir on windblown sites and near the tree line.

[15] It resembles a descending spiral like the veery (Catharus fuscescens), but higher, thinner, and nasal with stuttering pauses: "ch-ch zreeew zi-zi-zreeee zizreeew".

[7] It is more likely to hear its nocturnal flight call during spring and fall migration than to observe the species on the ground.

[15] C. minimus consumes mainly insects, such as beetles, weevils, ants, wasps, and caterpillars, in addition to arachnids as well as fruits and berries (wild cherries, blackberries, and raspberries).

[15] C. minimus exhibits secretive behaviour during breeding season, and nesting pairs are rarely found in high densities[5] as their territories are well-spaced.