Carrizo Plain National Monument, San Luis Obispo Co., CA, USA - January 21, 2011
Credit: Bill Bouton

North American field guide

Sage Thrasher

Oreoscoptes montanus

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Identification

Field notes

22 cm (8-9") Common. Western United States, southwestern Canada. Sagebrush.

Gray upperparts. Heavily streaked below. Pale yellow eye. Tail has white at corners. Compared to other western thrashers it is smaller with a smaller bill and shorter tail.

Song: long warbles, "chuck".

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

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.

Approximate reconstruction of a historical map. Source date unknown.

Geography: Natural Earth
Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 2 rules

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

Sage Thrasher

2 rules
Rule 1 15 criteria confidence 7
What SIZE was the TAIL ?
Medium · Long · Very Long · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?
Light outer edge or corners · Unknown
What colour was the TAIL ?
Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?
Yes · 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 ?
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 · 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 ?
Sparrow-sized · Robin-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:737-sage-thrasher:1:1 Source: 737 Sage Thrasher, row 1
Rule 2 15 criteria confidence 1
What SIZE was the TAIL ?
Medium · Long · Very Long · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?
Light outer edge or corners · Unknown
What colour was the TAIL ?
Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?
Yes · 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 ?
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 · 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 ?
Sparrow-sized · Robin-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