Curve-billed Thrasher

Toxostoma curvirostre

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

28 cm (11") Common. Southwestern United States. Canyons, along streams, desert brushland.

Grayish upperparts. Strongly curved bill. Pale orange eye. Southeastern Arizona and Texas birds have heavily mottled or spotted breast and white at tips of tail. Other birds have indistinct spotting on the breast.

Song: various trills and warbles, call is a distinctive "whit-wheet".

Details in the field

Photo gallery

4 photos

Credit: Amy McAndrews

Credit: Tony Morris

Credit: Tony Morris

Credit: Mark Watson

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Curve-billed thrasher. Resaca Los Fresnos San Benito Texas 2012-06-06

Credit: Tavo

Curve-billed_Thrasher.mp4

Credit: Jay Turberville

Where 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.

Curve-Billed Thrasher

1 rule

Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 4

What SIZE was the TAIL ?: Medium · Long · Very Long · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?: Light band at the tip · None · Unknown
What colour was the TAIL ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?: Uniform color · Spotted or mottled · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · 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 ?: 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

result:740-curve-billed-thrasher:1:1 Source: 740 Curve-Billed Thrasher, row 1