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.
- The oldest recorded California Thrasher was at least 9 years, 2 months old when it was recaptured and rereleased during banding operations in California in 2013. It had been banded in the same state in 2005.
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
California Thrasher is relatively common where it occurs, but populations declined by about 35% between 1966 and 2015, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. Partners in Flight estimates a global breeding population of 300,000, with 86% living in the U.S., and 14% in Mexico. The species rates a 16 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score. California Thrasher is on the 2016 State of North America's Birds' Watch List, which includes bird species that are most at risk of extinction without significant conservation actions to reverse declines and reduce threats. California Thrasher is also a U.S.-Canada Stewardship species.