A reddish-brown mimic with the largest song repertoire of any North American bird — over 1,000 distinct song types documented in some individuals.

Native status: Native; widespread but declining

§ Quick facts

SizeBody 23–30 cm (9–12 in); wingspan 29–34 cm
Weight60–90 g (2.1–3.2 oz)
LifespanWild typically 5 years; oldest documented 17
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyMimidae

§ Encyclopedia

The brown thrasher, sometimes erroneously called the brown thrush or fox-coloured thrush, is a bird in the family Mimidae, which also includes the New World catbirds and mockingbirds. The brown thrasher is abundant throughout the eastern and central United States and southern and central Canada, and it is the only thrasher to live primarily east of the Rockies and central Texas. It is the state bird of Georgia.

Source: Wikipedia — Brown thrasher Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Reddish-brown above; heavily streaked underparts; long curved bill; yellow eyes.

Similar species. Wood Thrush (much smaller). California Thrasher (different color).

Voice. Phrases repeated twice; rich complex song.

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. Insects (primary), seeds, berries, small reptiles, eggs.

Behavior. Year-round resident. Forages on ground. Largest documented song repertoire of any North American songbird.

§ Range

Eastern and central US year-round (north migratory)

§ Habitat

Brushy thickets, hedgerows, old fields, woodland edges

§ Threats

Loss of brushy edges to mowed lawns and row-crop expansion, cat predation, window strikes.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the brown thrasher is currently classified as Least Concern.

§ What helps

Maintain shrub thickets along fence lines. Skip mowing brushy corners. Keep cats indoors.

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§ Further reading

§ Sources cited

  • Cornell Lab — All About Birds
  • National Audubon Society
  • iNaturalist
  • IUCN Red List 2018