Description:

The Sage Thrasher looks most similar to its relative, the Northern Mockingbird. The Sage Thrasher forages on the ground and in vegetation for insects and berries.


Appearance:

Brownish-gray head and upperparts. Buffy-white underparts with black spotting and streaks. Yellow eye. Short, dark, down-curved bill. Long tail with white patches in on the corners. Faint white wing bars. Sexes similar. Juveniles are somewhat browner. 8.5 inches in length.


Habitat:

Dry sagebrush plains, dense thickets and lowland scrub.


Nesting:

4-5 blue-green eggs with brown blotches. The eggs have a 13-17 day incubation period. Fledging occurs in 11-14 days. The nest is made from sticks and lined with grass, rootlets, fur, leaves, and feathers. It is usually built in a thorny bush or shrub.


Observed Locations:

• Fort Rosecrans National Cemetary, Point Loma
• Clark's Dry Lake, Anza Borrego State Park