# California Thrasher (*Toxostoma redivivum*) The California Thrasher is a lively bird known for its long tail and curved beak. It loves to sing and can be found hopping around in bushes and shrubs, making it a delightful sight in nature! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Shrublands ![California Thrasher](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Toxostoma_redivivum_-Morro_Bay%252C_California%252C_USA-8.jpg&width=800) Photo: Mike Baird from Morro Bay, USA, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Toxostoma_redivivum_-Morro_Bay%252C_California%252C_USA-8.jpg) ## Appearance The California Thrasher is a large, slender songbird with a distinctive, long, strongly decurved bill. It has a plain grayish-brown plumage overall, with a slightly paler cinnamon-buff belly and undertail coverts, making it visually distinct from many smaller, straighter-billed songbirds. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Mimidae - **Genus:** Toxostoma ## Interesting facts - California Thrashers use their strong legs to 'thrasher run' quickly across the ground! - Its incredible song can include over 50 different types of sounds! - This bird builds its nest low in dense shrubs, keeping eggs super safe! - Unlike most birds, they sing year-round, even in the middle of winter! ## Special abilities - **Mimic Master:** California Thrasher has a complex vocal repertoire that allows them to mimic other birds' calls, which helps them defend territory or attract mates. - **Bush Baron:** California Thrasher can move silently through dense chaparral because of its slender body and agility, helping them avoid predators. - **Ground-Level Gourmet:** California Thrasher has strong legs and feet that allow them to scratch and run swiftly on the ground while foraging for food. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 29-32 cm - **Wingspan:** 30-32 cm - **Weight:** 0.079-0.092 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-10 years - **Speed:** 30 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-4 - **Incubation:** 14 days ## Diet & Feeding They mostly eat insects, spiders, and other small creatures, but also enjoy seeds and berries. - **Primary Foods:** beetles, grasshoppers, spiders, berries, seeds, small lizards - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [domestic cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — Hunted by domestic cats, especially near human homes. - **Eaten by:** [gopher snake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/gopher-snake) (*Pituophis catenifer*) — Nestlings and eggs are vulnerable to gopher snakes. - **Eats:** [darkling beetle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/darkling-beetle) (*Eleodes carbonaria*) — Preys on various ground-dwelling insects like this beetle. - **Shelter:** California lilac (*Ceanothus impressus*) — Builds nests in dense shrubs like the California lilac. - **Eats:** [toyon](https://www.snappit.app/explore/toyon) (*Heteromeles arbutifolia*) — Consumes berries from chaparral plants like toyon. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and be quiet so you don't scare them away. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify California Thrasher? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is California Thrasher? 29-32 cm ### What is California Thrasher's wingspan? 30-32 cm ### How much does California Thrasher weigh? 0.079-0.092 kg ### How long does California Thrasher live? 2-10 years ### How fast can California Thrasher move? 30 km/h ### What does California Thrasher eat? They mostly eat insects, spiders, and other small creatures, but also enjoy seeds and berries. ### Where is California Thrasher usually found? Shrublands ## Where to spot - [San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/san-luis-obispo-botanical-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [California Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/california-botanic-garden) — California, US · Botanical Garden - [California Citrus State Historic Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/california-citrus-state-historic-park) — California, US · State Park - [San Elijo Lagoon](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/san-elijo-lagoon) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Milagra Ridge](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/milagra-ridge) — California, US · Park [View all places to see California Thrasher](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/california-thrasher) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [California Thrasher: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-thrasher)