North American field guide
California Thrasher
Toxostoma redivivum
Identification
Field notes
31 cm (12") Common. California, northern Baja California. Chaparral, foothills, parkland, thickets. Only Crissal's and Le Conte's Thrashers overlap its range.
Upperparts dark gray. Light throat. Dark breast. Tawny-buff belly and undertail coverts. Long tail. Long curved bill is used for digging the ground rather than scratching with feet.
Song: loud, long melodious phrases often repeated. Imitates other birds and noises. "Chuck" call.
Details in the field
Photo gallery
Watch and learn
Videos
California Thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum) at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary
Credit: James & DawnCalifornia Thrasher, Santa Cruz, CA
Credit: milmascaras66Where it lives
Distribution maps
Source legend · original intervals
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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence
Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.
Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant · 1 rule
These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.
California Thrasher
1 ruleRule 1 16 criteria · confidence 4
- What Color were the UNDERTAIL COVERTS ?
- White or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow, olive, or tan (light brown) · Unknown
- What SIZE was the TAIL ?
- Medium · Long · Very Long · Unknown
- What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?
- None · Unknown
- What colour was the TAIL ?
- Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the BACK ?
- Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the BELLY ?
- Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
- What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
- Uniform color · Unknown
- What colour was the BREAST ?
- Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the THROAT ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the BILL ?
- Downcurved · Unknown
- What LENGTH was the BILL ?
- Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
- What colour were the EYES ?
- Brown or blackish brown · Black or dark gray · Unknown
- What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
- Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · 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