Bird Guide

Brown Thrasher vs Curve-billed Thrasher

Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)

Brown Thrasher

Toxostoma rufum

Medium69 gShrubland

The brown thrasher is bright reddish-brown above with thin, dark streaks on its buffy underparts. It has a whitish-colored chest with distinguished teardrop-shaped markings on its chest. Its long, rufous tail is rounded with paler corners, and eyes are a brilliant yellow. Its bill is brownish, long, and curves downward. Both male and females are similar in appearance. The juvenile appearance of the brown thrasher from the adult is not remarkably different, except for plumage texture, indiscreet upper part markings, and the irises having an olive color.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: The Nunn Guy · CC0
Photo: lwolfartist · CC BY 2.0
Curve-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre)

Curve-billed Thrasher

Toxostoma curvirostre

Medium81 gShrubland

The curve-billed thrasher is immediately recognized as a thrasher by its long tail and short wings. It is also recognized for its sickle-shaped bill, almost as long as its head width and brownish black in color. The body is compact with a large head, short wings and long tail. However, the tail is short relative to other thrasher species. The chest is grayish brown with circular brown-gray spots. The eyes are generally orange, shading to golden in adulthood. Juveniles are lacking in pale tips, rectrices, abdominal feathers are unkempt and upper parts and chest are washed rufously.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Lorie Shaull · CC BY 2.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Brown Thrasher and Curve-billed Thrasher.