Brown Thrasher

(Toxostoma rufum)

Conservation Status
Brown Thrasher
Photo by Richard Thrasher
  IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

 
  NatureServe

N5 - Secure

SNRB - Unranked Breeding

 
  Minnesota

not listed

Species in Greatest Conservation Need

 
           
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

Brown Thrasher is a medium sized, 11½ long, slender bird with a wingspan of 13. It weighs about 2.4 ounces.

Males and females share the same size and appearance. The upper parts are bright reddish-brown (rufous). The chest and belly are whitish and heavily streaked with distinctive, tear-drop shaped spots. The elongated spots give the underparts an appearance usually described as “streaked”, as opposed to the “spotted” underparts of the Wood Thrush. The tail is rufous, rounded at the tip, and has pale corners. The eyes are bright orangish-yellow. The bill is long, brown, and downward-curved.

 
     
 

Size

 
 

11½ in length

13 wingspan

 
     
 

Voice

 
   
  The song is long and complex and defies description. It consists of a series of short phrases, each repeated once.  
     
 

Similar Species

 
  Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) wings are entirely brown, not barred. The underparts are spotted, not streaked. The eye is dark with a bold white ring.  
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Woodland edges, dense thickets, overgrown pastures. Rarely near human habitation but sometimes seen on the ground near bird feeders.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Migration

 
 

 

 
     
 

Nesting

 
 

The male and female build a nest together in May or June. The nest is usually low in a tree or in a low shrub, sometimes on the ground. It is constructed of grass, twigs, and leaves, and is lined with fine vegetation. The female lays 3 to 5 eggs. The eggs hatch in 11 to 14 days. The young begin to leave the nest 9 to 13 days after hatching. There are usually two broods, sometimes three, each year.

 
     
 

Food

 
 

Insects and other arthropods, berries, nuts, and seeds. Berries and acorns in the winter.

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common migrant and breeder

 
         
 

Maps

 
 

The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Class Aves (birds)  
 

Order

Passeriformes (perching birds)  
 

Family

Mimidae (mockingbirds and thrashers)  
 

Genus

Toxostoma (American thrashers)  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

Western Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum longicauda)

Eastern Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum rufum)

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

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Jeff Kimbel

 
  Has been coming to my feeder the last several days. Likes the suet feeder. Never seen one before in 22 years living here.   Brown Thrasher  
 

Deb Minkkinen

 
 

Brown Thrashers Andover, MN

I thought I'd send a picture of the 2 Brown Thrasher birds I wrote about a week ago. I caught this picture of them standing watch today. They are beautiful. I love that they will share the feeders with the smaller birds. But they are keeping the Gray Catbirds away.

  Brown Thrasher  
 

Terri Ryan Jeff

 
    Brown Thrasher      
 

Wayne Rasmussen

 
    Brown Thrasher   Brown Thrasher  
 

Richard Thrasher

 
 

A Brown Thrasher visited the Thrasher's today!

 
    Brown Thrasher   Brown Thrasher  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
    Brown Thrasher   Brown Thrasher  

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
Brown Thrasher
JMC Nature Photos
  Brown Thrasher  
Thrashers
jt893x
  Thrashers  
Brown Thrasher
Joshua Mayer
  Brown Thrasher  
 
About

Toxostoma rufum

 
Brown Thrasher
Craig A. Mullenbach
  Brown Thrasher  

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
  Brown Thrasher, Toxostoma rufum singing
Rob Curtis
 
   
 
About

Published on Jun 30, 2014

Brown Thrasher, Toxostoma rufum, singing.

Photo gallery at:
http://www.theearlybirder.com/mimics/brown-thrasher/index.htm

   
  Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma Rufum)
birdguyusa
 
   
 
About

Published on Jul 20, 2013

Brown Thrasher Toxostoma Rufum This was the first time I seen these guys and found them totally awesome. This is part 3

   
  A Song and a Bath
Lew Scharpf
 
   
 
About

Published on May 17, 2013

This video features the Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) singing and taking a dust bath. Brown Thrashers are excellent singers and have one of the largest song repertoire of any bird in North America. They also frequently take dust baths which helps to keep their feather clean and dry.

   
  Brown Thrasher
PizzoEcology
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Aug 17, 2009

Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)

   
  Juvenile Brown Thrashers (Toxostoma rufum) preening
colong7034
 
   
 
About

Published on Aug 21, 2013

Juvenile Brown Thrashers (Toxostoma rufum) preening. Transylvania County, NC. Shot 8/21/13

   

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this bird.

 
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Be sure to include a location.
 
  Michael DeGidio
Winter 2022-23

Location: Richfield, Minnesota

A Brown Thrasher has been visiting the bird feeder hanging at our kitchen window all winter.

 
  Jeff Kimbel
6/19/2020

Location: Forest Lake, MN

Has been coming to my feeder the last several days. Likes the suet feeder. Never seen one before in 22 years living here.

Brown Thrasher

 
  Deb Minkkinen
5/14/2020

Location: Andover, MN

I thought I'd send a picture of the 2 Brown Thrasher birds I wrote about a week ago. I caught this picture of them standing watch today. They are beautiful. I love that they will share the feeders with the smaller birds. But they are keeping the Gray Catbirds away.

Brown Thrasher

 
  Deb Minkkinen
5/7/2020

Location: Andover, MN

I am reporting that yesterday (5/7/20) I have started seeing a brown thrasher in my front yard in Andover, MN. It appears to be trying to nest in a large bush in front of the house. I have a feeder in front of the kitchen window right next to the bush that attracts lots of small birds. I have had gray catbirds nest in the bush each spring for the last 3 years. I just started seeing a catbird too but it looks like the brown thrasher may be chasing them away this year. Fun to watch!

 
  Terri Ryan Jeff
5/3/2020

Location: Bloomington MN

Brown Thrasher

 
  Elise Pechek
8/15/2019

Location: Hartley Park, Duluth, Minnesota

 
  Neil
6/9/2019

Location: Monticello

Nesting with babies in an arborvitae next to our house.

 
  Kylene
5/22/2017

Location: Watson MN

I have a pair of Brown Thrashers nesting in the very old honeysuckle right next to my house, near a window, I can see them sitting on the nest! 

 
  Richard
Thrasher

5/21/2017

Location: Green Isle, MN

He's been scavenging under our bird feeder for the last couple days. First time we've had one that we've seen in our yard!

Brown Thrasher

 
  Libby F.
4/22/2017

Location: Near Blooming Prairie, Minnesota

Beautiful song! It's been hanging out on the top of our tallest trees for 2 days now. 

 
  CaffeinedinMN
6/10/2016

Location: Cannon Falls

This bird had amazing color (like the family Irish Setter) at my feeder this morning.

 
  Wayne Rasmussen
5/29/2016

Location: Maplewood, MN (Maplewood Hts Park)

Wayne's World of Graphics
http://waynelr.smugmug.com/
http://waynelr.blogspot.com/

Brown Thrasher

 
  Wendy Shavor
5/22/2016

Location: Sunrise, MN

Watched one singing from the treetops in a wooded area for two mornings. Quite the variety of sounds! Had never seen one before, so had to figure out what it was.

 
  Julie Jenson
5/11/2016

Location: Northeast Minneapolis

Never saw one before. It was sitting in my lilac bush and flipping over the wood chips under the bird feeder.

 
  Wally Swanson
5/1/2016

Location: St. Paul MN

We've never seen this species of bird before, but it showed up this weekend in our backyard in the Lexington-Hamline neighborhood of St. Paul. It appears on the ground beneath our bird feeder.

 
  Brian Borowski
4/28/2016

Location: Farmington MN

This bird has been hanging out all week feeding of my bird feeder. Other birds do not like him.

 
  Shawn
2/8/2016

Location: Spicer, MN

First one I have ever seen in my yard!

 
  Kevin
7/26/2015

Location: Oak Grove

Just saw our first one

 
  Kendi
5/7/2015

Location: anoka

There is at least one that's been around our yard for the past week.

 
  fike
5/10/2015

Location: coon rapids mn

We sighted a pair at our ground feeding tray. Beautiful color. Have never had this type of bird at our feeder before.

 
  Gay Smith
12/2/2014

Location: Maple Grove, MN

Did not know they wintered here. He comes to my suet feeder everyday. Love watching him.

 
  Steve
4/22/2014

Dodge Nature Center - Lilly Property

 
  nanette hartman
6/26/2014

Location: green isle, mn

just refilled bird feeder and attracted blue jays and a burd of similar marking and size. Light brown orange colored. Like a light burnt orange color. Upon research I am fairly positive it was a thrasher. (Of some sort) 2 flew in landed under bird feeder and fed off the ground as blue jays fed above. Looking at the one now. Kinda a orangy cocoa colored Bird. Never seen one before.

 
           
 
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