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Location: Cowles Mt., La Mesa, CA
Date: 2005-01-30
Lens: Canon 400mm F5.6
Date: 2005-01-30
Lens: Canon 400mm F5.6
California Thrasher
Toxostoma redivivum
DescriptionThis elusive bird is always a delight to see, as it hides among dense shrubs and is most often heard before being seen. Like the mockingbird, this bird is an expert mimic. The thrasher is a ground feeder and uses its long, curved bill to search for seeds and insects under dense shrubs. They also feed on fruits.
Dark brown upperparts. Light gray-brown breast. Buff-peach colored belly and undertail coverts. Light brown eyebrow. Dark "mustache". Dark brown eyes. Long, curved bill. Long tail. Sexes similar. 11 to 13 inches in length.
Chaparral and dense shrubs around foothills.
Nesting2-4 pale blue-green speckled eggs with a 14 day incubation period. Fledging occurs 12-14 days after hatching. The nest is a bowl made from sticks, roots, and finer materials for lining.
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