The Sooty Thrush is endemic to the Costa Rica and Panama Highlands Endemic Bird Area, where it is generally rather common and the species inhabits open habitats at higher elevations, foraging mainly on bare ground for insects and small fruits, and sometimes feeding in small, loose groups. Males are principally blackish with a yellow bill and orange-yellow legs, with the most prominent feature being the whitish irides, whereas the body color in females tends to be more brownish, darkest on the wings and tail, with similarly colored bare parts. The Sooty Thrush is considered to be biologically very similar to the American Robin.