Thrashers- ORDER: Passeriformes
- FAMILY: Mimidae
Basic Description
A secretive bird of open desert habitats, Bendire’s Thrasher is a lanky, dusty brown songster with a curved bill that is somewhat shorter than in other desert thrashers. Bendire’s Thrasher spends much of its time on the ground, catching insects or digging them out of crevices in the ground. It sometimes ventures into low vegetation where it hunts insects or eats small fruits. It has undergone sharp population declines and has a small range, two vulnerabilities that have placed it on the Partners in Flight Red Watch List.
More ID InfoFind This Bird
Bendire’s Thrashers are inconspicuous birds best sought in late winter and early spring. At these seasons, males perch in bush tops and sing a long string of repeated phrases, mostly in the morning. Walk through brushy habitat in deserts, grasslands, and Joshua tree stands to listen for singers and watch for for partially hidden birds foraging on the ground.
Other Names
- Cuitlacoche Piquicorto (Spanish)
- Moqueur de Bendire (French)