Photo: Rhododendrites / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Brown Thrasher
Toxostoma rufum
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) is a member of the Mimidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 68.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Mimidae Mockingbirds, Thrashers
- Genus Toxostoma
- Species rufum
Quick facts
- Weight
- 68.8 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Mimidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Male vs female
Sexes look alike: both are bright reddish-brown (rufous) above with a long rufous tail, heavily dark-streaked whitish/buffy underparts, two whitish wingbars, and a bright yellow eye.
Juvenile appearance
Juveniles resemble adults but have a duller/softer texture, less distinct upperpart markings, and grayish-olive to brown (not yellow) eyes that persist into mid-winter.
Similar birds
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Brown Thrasher is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of dense scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Brown Thrasher is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) is a species of bird in the Mimidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans North America. Its distribution covers NA c, e, se.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 68.8 g, with a wing length of about 10.3 cm and a tail of around 12.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 5.7 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Brown Thrasher?
The Brown Thrasher is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 68.8 g.
Where does the Brown Thrasher live?
The Brown Thrasher is found across North America with a range covering NA c, e, se, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Brown Thrasher belong to?
The Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) belongs to the Mimidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Brown Thrasher eat?
The Brown Thrasher is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Brown Thrasher migrate?
The Brown Thrasher is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Brown Thrasher endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Brown Thrasher make?
1 real field recording of the Brown Thrasher — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Brown Thrasher's range?
The Brown Thrasher has a mapped global range of about 5.7 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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