Brown Thrasher

Appearance:

Length: 9.1-11.8 in
Weight: 2.1-3.1 oz
Wingspan: 11.4-12.6 in

The brown thrasher has a long tail, short wings, and a slender, somewhat curved bill. It is a rich rufous brown on its head, back, and tail, with heavy rufous streaking on a cream color underside. The wings are rufous brown with two white bars on each wing. It has yellow eyes.

Habitat:

The brown thrasher can be found year-round and is adapted to brushy habitats, brushy woods margins, and residential areas with shrubbery. It’s long rudder-like tail and short wings are adapted to maneuver within brushy cover.

Behavior:

The brown thrasher is omnivorous, eating insects, earthworms, snails, berries, nuts, and seeds. The bird often searches for food in dry leaves on the ground and can be heard underneath the brush rattling and moving leaf litter with its bill. The brown thrasher is a secretive bird, preferring to stay within the brush most of the time. However, in breeding season, the male likes to sing from the tip-top branch of a tree to defend its territory, and it will aggressively defend a nest. The nest is built in low, dense brush or low in a tree, although some nest on the ground in the western part of the range. Both male and female construct the nest.