I don’t ask for the meaning of the song of a bird or the rising of the sun…

I don’t ask for the meaning of the song of a bird or the rising of the sun on a misty morning. There they are, and they are beautiful.

Quotation by Pete Hamill

California Thrasher: Have you seen this bird?

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California Thrasher

The California Thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum) is a large thrasher found primarily in chaparral habitat in California and Baja California.

Similar to the Crissal and Le Conte’s Thrashers in habit, the California Thrasher is the only species of Toxostoma throughout most of its limited range.

Identification Tips:
• Length: 10 inches
• Long, decurved bill
• Pale supercilium
• Dark eye
• Very dark cheek
• Pale throat
• Dark brown plumage
• Belly is paler brown
• Long dark tail
• Dark legs
• Sexes similar

Similar species:
The California Thrasher is quite similar to Crissal and Le Conte’s Thrashers. It has a paler supercilium, darker cheeks and less rusty undertail coverts than the Crissal. Le Conte’s is paler overall and lacks the pale supercilium and dark cheeks. The range of the California does not overlap much with the other species. Other thrashers have spotted underparts and pale eyes.

Like most thrashers, it rarely flies in the open, preferring to keep hidden in dense brush. Therefore, while it is common throughout much of its range, it is rarely seen.

I don’t ask for the meaning of the song of a bird or the rising of the sun on a misty morning. There they are, and they are beautiful.

Quotation by Pete Hamill

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I don’t ask for the meaning of the song of a bird or the rising of the sun on a misty morning. There they are, and they are beautiful.

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