Brown Thrasher
NameBrown Thrasher
Common NameBrown Thrasher
Scientific NameToxostoma rufum
FamilyMimidae
Wingspan (cm)31
Length (cm)29
Weight (g)72
Plumage DetailsUpperparts are a rich, uniform rufous-brown. Underparts are white to buff, heavily streaked with dark brown. It has two prominent white wing bars and a pale yellow eye. The bill is relatively long and slightly decurved.
Vocalization / CallKnown for its extremely varied and musical song, often mimicking other birds but typically repeating each phrase twice. Calls include a sharp 'churr' and a soft 'tchew'.
Primary Dietomnivore
Primary Habitatsforest, urban
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeBreeds across eastern and central North America, from southern Canada south to Florida and the Gulf Coast, and west to eastern Texas and the Great Plains. Winters primarily in the southeastern United States.
Identifying Featureslong rufous tail, heavily streaked breast, bright yellow eye, long, slightly decurved bill, two white wing bars
Description
The Brown Thrasher is a large, long-tailed songbird known for its rich rufous-brown upperparts and heavily streaked white underparts. It is a shy bird often found foraging on the ground in dense thickets, using its long bill to sweep aside leaf litter. Its remarkable song is a complex series of phrases, often repeated twice.
