Brown Thrasher – Wild in Texas

Brown Thrasher Description

The Brown Thrasher is a medium thrasher with rufous upperparts and black-streaked, pale brown underparts. Eyes are yellow. Brown-black bill curves down and the lower mandible has a pale base. Wings have two white and black bars. Tail is long and red-brown. Legs and feet are brown. Fast flight on shallow, rapid wing beats.

Brown Thrashers have the largest repertoire of songs of all the North American birds and are able to vocalize 3000 distinct songs. They have an absolutely beautiful voice, in my opinion. They are a very aggressive defender of their nest, and have been known to strike people and dogs hard enough to draw blood. Populations seem to be slowly declining throughout their range. We are on the western edge of its year-round range and in the middle of its winter range in North Texas.

I was just sitting in my favorite local birding spot right behind my office in a greenbelt thicket, and this beautiful creature just jumped in front of my camera and belted out the most beautiful sounds. I hear these birds quite often, now I know what they look like too!! In the link at the bottom of the page, you will have access to the different sounds they make.

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