A medium thrasher endemic to California habitats.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
The California thrasher is a large member of family Mimidae found primarily in chaparral habitat in California in the United States and Baja California in Mexico. It is the only species of the genus Toxostoma throughout most of its range.
Source: Wikipedia — California thrasher Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Large dark gray-brown thrasher with a very long, strongly decurved bill, a pale throat, a buffy belly, and a dark cheek with a pale eyebrow.
Similar species. Other thrashers within range (e.g., Le Conte's) are paler and desert-dwelling; the California Thrasher is dark and tied to dense coastal chaparral.
Voice. A long, varied series of musical phrases and harsh notes, often with mimicry; a low 'chuck'.
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. Insects, fruits, occasional small vertebrates.
Behavior. A large, ground-loving thrasher of California chaparral; sweeps its long decurved bill side to side through leaf litter to dig for insects and seeds, often running rather than flying.
§ Range
California
§ Habitat
Chaparral, sage scrub
§ Threats
Habitat loss.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the california thrasher is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Support California chaparral conservation.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — California thrasher
- www.allaboutbirds.org — authoritative profile of Toxostoma redivivum
- IUCN Red List — search for Toxostoma redivivum
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Toxostoma redivivum
§ Sources cited
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds
- National Audubon Society
- iNaturalist
- IUCN Red List
