6.0 inches long. The Louisiana Waterthrush looks like a small thrush. The back is brown and the underparts are white with brown streaks. The throat is unspotted. The eyebrow is white and usually becomes slightly wider behind the eye. The legs are bright pink. The undertail coverts are white or pinkish-buff. There are no tail spots. The similar Northern Waterthrush usually has spots on the throat and the leg color is duskier. The Northern Waterthrush also tends to be more yellowish rather than white on the eyebrow and underparts. The Ovenbird does not pump its tail and lacks a pale eyebrow and has an eye ring.
The Louisiana Waterthrush is an annual breeder in the Forest . A few pairs can usually be found each spring. It is one of the early arriving warblers that shows up by mid April and leaves by early September.
The Louisiana Waterthrush is frequently found near water. It constantly bobs its tail when it walks on the ground. The song is loud and clear that begins with 3 or 4 high pitched down slurred notes followed by a brief rapid medley of jumbled noted that cascade up and down prior to fading away such as “sweer, sweer, sweer, chee, chi-wit-it, chit, swee-yuu”.
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