California Thrasher
Toxostoma redivivum
As with many chaparral-loving birds, California Thrashers prefer being near the ground. This is where they find their food, and where they feel safest. They use their long curved bills to thrash through leaf litter. This is especially true in the breeding season, when insects comprise most of their food supply. When they aren’t raising families, they switch to a more vegetarian diet, and dine on native or garden-grown fruits.
California Thrashers incorporate imitations of other birds into their own songs, especially from their chaparral neighbors. California Quail, Wrentit, California Scrub-Jay, Bewick’s Wren, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Spotted Towhee, and Lesser Goldfinch are all fair game to this impressionist entertainer.
Despite its relatively restricted range, science recognizes two subspecies of California Thrasher:
- T. r. redivivum lives south of Central California and into Baja California (Mexico).
- T. r. sonomae lives in Northern California.
California Thrashers are most often found in sage-scrub and chaparral habitat in California and Baja California. From the hills near my Poway home, I am serenaded by these birds regularly. I find their songs are joyful, and they never fail to bring a smile to my face.
17 Photos
California Thrasher(Toxostoma redivivum) |
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Description: Along the Great Southern Overland Stage Route, West of the Vallecito Stage Station. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:03:26 6:56 |
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Location:
Vallecito Valley |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 |
File Name: D3X2695-CaliforniaThrasher |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
California Thrasher(Toxostoma redivivum) |
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Description: Along the Great Southern Overland Stage Route, at Agua Caliente County Park. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:03:26 10:42 |
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Location:
Vallecito Valley |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X2861-CaliforniaThrasher |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
California Thrasher(Toxostoma redivivum) |
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Description: Lake Hodges. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:05:08 10:14 |
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Location:
Lake Hodges |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X6772-CaliforniaThrasher |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
California Thrasher(Toxostoma redivivum) |
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Description: Lower slopes of Santa Rosa Mountain. Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2012:08:23 12:05 |
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Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 |
File Name: D3X8027-CaliforniaThrasher |
| © 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
California Thrasher(Toxostoma redivivum) |
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Description: Lower slopes of Santa Rosa Mountain. Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2012:08:23 12:15 |
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Location:
Santa Rosa Mountain |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/200 |
File Name: D3X8039-CaliforniaThrasher |
| © 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging |
California Thrasher(Toxostoma redivivum) |
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Description: Fernbrook, off Mussey Grade Road in Ramona, California. |
Date Taken: 2012:04:04 10:50 |
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Location:
Fernbrook |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X9762-CaliforniaThrasher |
| © 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
California Thrasher(Toxostoma redivivum) |
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Description: Fernbrook, off Mussey Grade Road in Ramona, California. |
Date Taken: 2012:04:04 10:51 |
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Location:
Fernbrook |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X9769-CaliforniaThrasher |
| © 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
California Thrasher(Toxostoma redivivum) |
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Description: A denizen of the chaparral at the Vista Grande site. Images from the SDNHM study of the Santa Rosa, San Jacinto Mountains. Riverside County, California. |
Date Taken: 2010:06:29 18:56 |
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Location:
Vista Grande |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 |
File Name: JCD1856.CaliforniaThrasher |
| © 2010 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
California Thrasher(Toxostoma redivivum) |
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Description: This bird was found along San Felipe Creek above Scissors Crossing in Anza Borrego State Park near Borrego Springs California on 2007-12-16. |
Date Taken: 2007:12:16 10:37 |
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Location:
Scissors Crossing |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 330 mm, f/4.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: JCD2843CaliforniaThrasher |
| © 2007 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
California Thrasher(Toxostoma redivivum) |
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Description: We met this bird on the bluffs at High Point Overlook during San Diego Natural History Museum's BioBlitz-2010. Torrey Pines State Park. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2010:05:21 15:35 |
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Location:
Torrey Pines Bluffs |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/250 |
File Name: JCD7621.CaliforniaThrasher |
| © 2010 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
California Thrasher(Toxostoma redivivum) |
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Description: Goodan Ranch, Sycamore Canyon. Poway, California. San Diego County 2008-06-30. |
Date Taken: 2008:06:30 15:04 |
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Location:
Gooden Ranch |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 |
File Name: JCD7753CaliforniaThrasher |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
California Thrasher(California Thrasher) |
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Description: Dos Picos County Park. Ramona, California. San Diego County 2008-06-26. |
Date Taken: 2008:06:26 8:50 |
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Location:
Dos Picos Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 |
File Name: JCD7307CaliforniaThrasher.Juvenile |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
California Thrasher(Toxostoma redivivum) |
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Description: Tecolote Canyon Reserve east of Mission Bay. San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:04:04 8:36 |
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Location:
Tecolote Canyon |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X4903-CaliforniaThrasher |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
California Thrasher(Toxostoma redivivum) |
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Description: Tecolote Canyon Reserve east of Mission Bay. San Diego, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:04:04 8:35 |
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Location:
Tecolote Canyon |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X4901-CaliforniaThrasher |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
California Thrasher(Toxostoma redivivum) |
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Description: Down slope, where Old Mine Road begins its climb to higher ground and the Montezuma Mines near Ranchita, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:10:19 8:23 |
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Location:
Old Mine Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X0759-CaliforniaThrasher |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
California Thrasher(Toxostoma redivivum) |
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Description: Down slope, where Old Mine Road begins its climb to higher ground and the Montezuma Mines near Ranchita, California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2014:10:19 8:28 |
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Location:
Old Mine Road |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X0764-CaliforniaThrasher |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
California Thrasher(Toxostoma redivivum) |
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Description: Camped with the San Diego Natural History team near Campo California. San Diego County. |
Date Taken: 2017:10:27 7:08 |
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Location:
Clover Flat |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: CaliforniaThrasher_D5X5797-CloverFlats |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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