Bird Guide

Long-billed Thrasher vs Sage Thrasher

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
Sage Thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus)

Sage Thrasher

Oreoscoptes montanus

Small44 gShrubland

The sage thrasher is a medium-sized passerine, measuring 20.0-23.0 cm in length and weighing 39.6-50.3g. Its eyes are distinctive ranging from lemon-yellow to amber coloration. Juveniles have paler upperparts and lightly streaked underparts compare to the adults. Adults display brownish-gray upperparts and white underparts marked with dark streaks. Plumage remains relatively similar throughout the year. Sage thrasher can be distinguished from other thrashers by its shorter and less curved bill, shorter tail and smaller size. Voice: Sage thrashers sing to attract mates and establish territories. During migration to their breeding grounds, silent individuals travel ahead of occupied territories by others until they reach an unoccupied one, where they begin to sing they are established. Singing is most frequent during territory establishment and pair formation, and stop when nest building starts.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: brian washburn from Redwood City, CA, USA · 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: Long-billed Thrasher and Sage Thrasher.