Gray Thrasher
Toxostoma cinereum
Fairly large and long-tailed songbird found only in Baja California peninsula. Favors deserts with cactus, but also in adjacent scrubby woodland, thickets, and gardens. Feeds mainly on the ground, where runs well. Feeds less often in fruiting trees and bushes. Note the fairly long, slightly arched bill, golden eyes, and boldly spotted breast. Cactus Wren occurs in same areas and looks rather similar but is slightly smaller with white eyebrow, shorter bill, dark eyes, boldly barred tail, and different voice. Also note similar migrant Sage Thrasher, which is smaller, with smaller bill.
Identification
The gray thrasher is 21.4 to 25.0 cm (8.4 to 9.8 in) long. Four males weighed 58.6 to 69.8 g (2.07 to 2.46 oz) and a female 54.4 g (1.92 oz). It is gray-brown above with cinnamon tones on the rump. Its underparts are white with arrow-shaped black spots. The outer tail feathers have white tips. Its eyes are golden yellow. The subspecies are similar, with T. c. mearnsi being somewhat darker overall.
Taxonomy
The gray thrasher has two subspecies, the nominate T. c. cinereum and T. c. mearnsi.
- Scientific name
- Toxostoma cinereum
- Authority
- (Xántus, J, 1860)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Mimidae
- Genus
- Toxostoma
Range and habitat
The gray thrasher is found only in Mexico's Baja California, where its range extends from approximately north latitude 31°14' to its southern tip. On the east side of the peninsula, however, it is found only as far north as approximately 28°. There is a record of this species in the Famosa Slough, San Diego County, California. T. c. mearnsi occupies approximately the northern half of the range and the nominate subspecies the southern half.<p>The gray thrasher inhabits arid and semi-arid landscapes. Most are open to semi-open with cacti, scrub, or scattered bushes and trees. In elevation it ranges from sea level to 1,500 m (4,900 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The gray thrasher typically forages on the ground or low down in vegetation. Its diet is not well studied but is known to include arthropods and cactus fruits.<p>Subspecies T. c. mearnsi of the gray thrasher breeds in March and April; T. c. cinereum breeds from May to mid-July in the far south. The species' nest is a cup made of twigs and lined with finer materials such as grass. T. c. mearnsi almost always places its nest in cacti, while T. c. cinereum uses cacti, thorny shrubs, and mesquite trees. Nests are typically within 3 m (9.8 ft) of the ground. The clutch size is two to four.<p>The gray thrasher's song is "a loud, fairly scratchy warbling...repeated two or three times"', and often sung from a high open perch. Its calls include "a rolled, rippling to rough whirr-rr-rr or chirr-rri-rrit, and a gruff chrek".
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Pacific Kingfisher
Todiramphus sacer
A highly variable species that seemingly changes its appearance on every island. Generally green or blue above and white or buffy orange below. Most subspecies have some degree of orange or buff eyebrow, most notably lacking in the Vanikoro Island population. In Tonga and Samoa, birds are much whiter, with a broad white eyebrow bordering a small greenish cap and a clean white underside. Generally coastal, preferring mangroves, but common in most habitat types to 1500 meters of elevation. Sacred Kingfisher is very similar but has a slimmer bill and is always buff below. Juvenile Sacred Kingfisher has a more scaly breast. Pacific’s most common call is a loud, harsh “kee-kee-kee-kee” often given in flight.
Yellow-bellied Eremomela
Eremomela icteropygialis
Small, fairly nondescript bird with a typical warbler shape. The upperparts are gray or olive-green, the breast is pale gray, and the belly shows a variable amount of yellow. Note the dark brownish eye. Found in a wide variety of savanna and woodland habitats, ranging from dry to moist. Active, restless bird that often joins mixed flocks. Song is a short, up-and-down series of chirpy notes. Combination of range and eye color separate it from most other eremomelas. Very similar to Yellow-vented Eremomela, but always shows more yellow on the belly.
Gorgeted Wood-Quail
Odontophorus strophium
Scarce quail restricted to cloud forest in the northern half of Colombia’s eastern Andes. Adult has distinctive black and white crescents on the throat, which may be reduced or lacking in young birds. Male has chestnut underparts and white spots on the breast; female has gray underparts. Shy and not often seen, but with luck it may be encountered in small groups that walk on the forest floor. Song is like that of other wood-quails, a long and rollicking series of whistles.
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