# Long-billed Thrasher (*Toxostoma longirostre*) The Long-billed Thrasher is a clever bird known for its long, curved bill. It loves to dig in the ground for tasty insects and fruits. You can often hear its beautiful songs in the bushes! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Desert and scrub areas ![Long-billed Thrasher](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Toxostoma_longirostre_-Laguna_Atascosa_National_Wildlife_Refuge%252C_Texas%252C_USA-8.jpg&width=800) Photo: Bill Bouton from San Luis Obispo, CA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Toxostoma_longirostre_-Laguna_Atascosa_National_Wildlife_Refuge%252C_Texas%252C_USA-8.jpg) ## Appearance The Long-billed Thrasher has warm rusty-brown upperparts, a pale chest with dark streaks, and a very long, slender, downward-curving bill. Its distinctive pale yellow eyes stand out against its head, making it visually different from many other thrashers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Mimidae - **Genus:** Toxostoma ## Interesting facts - Each Thrasher can sing thousands of unique song phrases in a single performance! - Its pale yellow eyes help it see small prey in dimly lit undergrowth! - Long-billed Thrashers mostly run and hop on the ground instead of flying far! - They are related to famous singers like mockingbirds and catbirds! ## Special abilities - **Super Sniffer Bill:** Long-billed Thrashers can probe deep into soil and leaf litter with their extra-long, curved bill that helps them dig up hidden insects. - **Mimic Maestro:** Long-billed Thrashers have amazing vocal chords that help them mimic other bird calls and sounds in their environment. - **Thorny Fortress Nesting:** Long-billed Thrashers often build their nests deep within thorny bushes, which helps protect their eggs and young from predators. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 28-32 cm - **Wingspan:** 30-34 cm - **Weight:** 0.07-0.09 kg - **Lifespan:** 5-10 years - **Speed:** 35 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-5 - **Incubation:** 13-14 days ## Diet & Feeding Eats bugs, spiders, small lizards, and berries found by digging with its special bill. - **Primary Foods:** Beetles, Grasshoppers, Spiders, Berries, Small lizards - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Red-tailed Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-tailed-hawk) (*Buteo jamaicensis*) — Adults can be prey for large birds of prey. - **Eaten by:** [Gopher Snake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/gopher-snake) (*Pituophis catenifer*) — Snakes often raid nests for eggs and chicks. - **Shelter:** [Honey Mesquite](https://www.snappit.app/explore/honey-mesquite) (*Prosopis glandulosa*) — Provides thorny branches for nesting and cover. - **Eats:** [Ashe Juniper](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ashe-juniper) (*Juniperus ashei*) — Thrasher consumes berries from this plant. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [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. - [Desert](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/desert): Desert habitats are arid regions characterized by extremely low precipitation and often extreme temperatures, supporting specialized flora and fauna. - [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 don't disturb their nests. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Long-billed 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 Long-billed Thrasher? 28-32 cm ### What is Long-billed Thrasher's wingspan? 30-34 cm ### How much does Long-billed Thrasher weigh? 0.07-0.09 kg ### How long does Long-billed Thrasher live? 5-10 years ### How fast can Long-billed Thrasher move? 35 km/h ### What does Long-billed Thrasher eat? Eats bugs, spiders, small lizards, and berries found by digging with its special bill. ### Where is Long-billed Thrasher usually found? Desert and scrub areas ## 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: [Long-billed Thrasher: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/long-billed-thrasher)