Brown Thrasher

Toxostoma rufum

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

29 cm (11-12") Fairly common in eastern and central North America. Thickets and brush, woodland borders; feeders in winter.

Reddish brown upperparts. Heavily streaked below. Yellow eyes. Often found near towns and suburbs but retiring and secretive. Similar Long-billed Thrasher found in Texas has a gray head and neck, longer more curved bill and reddish not yellow eyes.

Song: phrases repeated "yes-yes siree-siree" etc.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

1 photo

Credit: Larry Bond

Watch and learn

Videos

1 video

Brown Thrasher Sand Bath Crazy Face

Credit: TDtangents

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

Loading the rebuilt map…

Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 3 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Brown Thrasher

3 rules

Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 7

What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Long · Very Long · Unknown
What colour was the TAIL ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, brownish red, cinnamon · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail) · Barred crosswise (from side to side) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: White or light gray · Yellow or olive · Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Southeastern United States

result:736-brown-thrasher:1:1 Source: 736 Brown Thrasher, row 1

Rule 2 14 criteria confidence 1

What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Long · Very Long · Unknown
What colour was the TAIL ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, brownish red, cinnamon · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?: Yes · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Streaked lengthwise (from head to tail) · Barred crosswise (from side to side) · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What colour were the EYES ?: White or light gray · Yellow or olive · Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:736-brown-thrasher:2:1 Source: 736 Brown Thrasher, row 2

Rule 3 5 criteria confidence 4

Was the bird seen best or only on the ground ?: Yes
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized
List any unique feeding behaviour observed ?: Noisily scratching in the underbrush or leaves
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Identify from a Unique Behaviour
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Urban or residential area or at a feeder · Open area: field, prairie, meadow, farmland, tundra · Thickets or shrubs · Deciduous forest · Coniferous forest · Mixed forest

result:736-brown-thrasher:3:1 Source: 736 Brown Thrasher, row 3