LeConte's Thrasher Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  A large songbird with a very long tail and a very long, curved bill. It has short, rounded wings and long, strong legs.

  Relative Size

  Slightly larger than a Northern Mockingbird, slightly smaller than a California Scrub-Jay.

  robin-sized

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 9.4-11.0 in (24-28 cm)
    • Weight: 1.9-2.7 oz (55-76 g)

  © Brian Sullivan / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  Pale sandy grayish brown overall, with a darker tail, a rusty or peachy wash under the tail, and a thin dark line (malar stripe) bordering the throat. Eyes, legs, and bill are dark.

• Behavior

  Uses its long bill to clear away leaves and other debris and uncover insects. Also digs or scrapes pits in the ground in search of prey or picks prey from low vegetation. Males perch high to sing only in breeding season (winter), otherwise this species is essentially terrestrial.

• Habitat

  Lives year-round in very dry, lightly vegetated desert habitat with cholla, saltbush, mesquite, and other plants tolerant of hot, arid conditions.