Range Map | Play this bird's song

Description: The handsome Brown Thrasher is a rufous (brown with a touch of red) above and white below with brown streaks. It has conspicuous yellow eyes, long, pale legs, bold white wing bars, and a very long tail. Males and females are identical. The Brown Thrasher reaches a length of about one foot. Like the Mockingbird, the Brown Thrasher has a wide repertoire of songs and can mimic other birds and noises.

Diet: The Brown Thrasher eats insects, fruits, and sometimes nuts. It usually forages on the ground, where it can be quite noisy as it picks through leaf litter.

Range: The Brown Thrasher breeds throughout much of the eastern United States and midwest. It generally breeds east of the Rocky Mountains. It is most numerous in the south and less numerous in the northern states. The Brown Thrasher spends the winter in the southeastern United States.

Habitat: The Brown Thrasher is found in shrubby areas and thickets within open woodlands or open country. It sometimes perches conspicuously on telephone wires. Brown Thrashers are common in the southern United States in suburban neighborhoods.

Nesting: Female thrashers lay 2-6 eggs. Nests are placed in or beneath dense, thorny shrubs. Although nests have been found 15 feet from the ground, they are generally only 2-7 feet from the ground. Young thrashers fledge in only 11-12 days!

Status: The Brown Thrasher is experiencing a gradual population decline. It is still common in many areas.