General

California Thrasher: Large, slender thrasher with dark brown upperparts and paler gray-brown underparts. Face is finely streaked, eyes are dark, and bill is very long and down curved. Throat has small buff patch. Tail is long with reddish-brown undertail coverts. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has buff edges on wing feathers.

Range and Habitat

California Thrasher: Common in many parts of their limited range in western and central California, and in Baja California. Only western thrasher with a range that includes areas along the coast. Found in a variety of lowland, shrubby habitats, including areas of chaparral, riparian thickets, arid shrub, or thickly vegetated suburban areas.

Breeding and Nesting

California Thrasher: Two to four pale blue eggs with light brown spots, are laid in a bowl-shaped nest made of sticks and roots, lined with finer materials, and built in a shrub. Eggs are incubated for approximately 14 days by both parents.

Foraging and Feeding

California Thrasher: Diet consists of insects, spiders, seeds of berries, hazelnuts, weeds, and small fruits; forages by digging in soil and turning over leaves with its bill.

Readily Eats

Suet, Sunflower Seed, Nuts

Vocalization

California Thrasher: Expert mimic. Call is a low harsh "chuck" or throaty "quip."

Similar Species

California Thrasher: Crissal Thrasher is darker behind eye, paler cheeks and more rust-brown on undertail coverts. Le Conte's Thrasher is paler overall and lacks pale area behind eye and dark cheeks.