Two subspecies occur in California distinguishable only by the upperpart color of the females, brown in coastal breeding birds (nominate I. n. naevius) and gray with variable brown feather tips in the more northerly I. n. meruloides. Males of these two races are indistinguishable. Based on the females, I judged these birds to be meruloides which seems to be the main component of a significant invasion into California this year. Some authors (e.g. Clement) place this species in the genus Zoothera.
Digiscoped with Panasonic DMC-LX5 | Nikon FieldScope III | 30XWA | hand-held (no adapter)