Sage Thrasher Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesSage Thrasher
Adult
Small thrasher with a short bill—rather thrushlike overall. Heavily streaked below with a grayish brown back and 2 thin white wingbars. Note pale eye.
© Doug Gochfeld / Macaulay LibraryNew Mexico, November 23, 2015Adult
Often runs along the ground in areas with dense sagebrush, scattered bunchgrasses, and bare ground.
© Eric Gofreed / Macaulay LibraryArizona, February 11, 2018Adult
Males sing long, complex songs made up of a rambling series of phrases. Notes include clear whistles, burrs, clucking notes, and sometimes mimics other birds.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryWyoming, May 31, 1995Not all videos have sound
Adult
Streaked below and grayish brown above with a pale eye. Often stands erect with the wings slightly drooped, like a thrush.
© Matt Davis / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, July 26, 2015Adult
Found in expanses of dense sagebrush with scattered bunchgrasses and bare ground.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryArizona, November 01, 2001Not all videos have sound
Adult
Males have a long and variable song. The rambling series of phrases, often preceded by soft clucking notes, is continuous and interspersed with moments of repetition and mimicry.
© Gregory Griffith / Macaulay LibraryColorado, July 01, 1994Not all videos have sound
Similar SpeciesNorthern Mockingbird
Adult
Northern Mockingbirds are lankier than Sage Thrashers, with a longer tail and a slightly shorter bill. They have clean whitish underparts unlike Sage Thrashers, which have streaked underparts.
© Jay McGowan / Macaulay LibraryNew York, December 07, 2016Similar SpeciesBendire's Thrasher
Adult
Bendire's Thrashers have longer tails than Sage Thrashers, with a longer and more curved bill. They also have faint spotting on the breast while Sage has a streaked breast and flanks.
© Timo Mitzen / Macaulay LibraryArizona, July 02, 2016Similar SpeciesCurve-billed Thrasher
Adult/immature
Curve-billed Thrashers are larger than Sage Thrashers and have a longer, curved bill compared with the short, straight bill of Sage Thrashers.
© Tom Benson / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, December 05, 2015Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Mockingbirds and Thrashers(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Mimidae)
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