Bird Guide

Curve-billed Thrasher vs Long-billed Thrasher

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
Long-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma longirostre)

Long-billed Thrasher

Toxostoma longirostre

Medium68 gShrubland

This bird is slender and long-tailed, averaging 26.5–29 cm (10.5–11.5 in) in length and about 70 g (2.5 oz) in weight. It is a large-sized thrasher that is close in size to the American robin. T. longirostre ssp. sennitti is described with a grayish-brown crown with a rufous color appearing in the back, rump, rear, and shoulder. Broad white tips located on the greater and lesser primary coverts and dullish-brown with rufous brown edges on the primary and secondary coverts gives the closed wings a rufous appearance. Voice: The song is warbling and resembles other thrashers' songs but is especially rich and musical, though occasionally scratchy. Phrases are often repeated two to four times.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: er-birds · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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