Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 12.6 in
32 cm - Wingspan
- 12.2 in
31 cm - Weight
- 2.8–3.3 oz
78–93 g
Other Names
- Moqueur de Californie (French)
- Cuitlacoche Californiano (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- The California Thrasher is the largest of the thrashers.
Habitat
Scrub
Lowland and coastal chaparral, and riparian woodland thickets. Also parks and gardens.
Food
Insects
Insects and fruits.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 1–6 eggs
- Egg Description
- Pale blue with dark spots and blotches; markings may form a ring around the large end or be uniformly distributed over the egg.
- Condition at Hatching
- Helpless.
Nest Description
Robust platform of coarse twigs, lined with roots and fine stems. Well hidden in dense shrubs.
Nest Placement
Shrub
Behavior
Ground Forager
Feeds chiefly under cover on the ground by swinging its bill in sideways arcs, digging vigorously and noisily in leaf litter, and peering intently into its excavations.
Conservation
Least Concern
Relatively common. Loss of habitat to clearing, urban and suburban development, and agriculture constitute the most serious threats to populations.
Credits
- Cody, M. L. 1998. California Thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum). In The Birds of North America, No. 323 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.