WESTERN BIRDS Thrasher 



SUBGENUS HARPORHYNCHUS: 

 LECONTE'S THRASHER 



Leconte's Thrasher: Toxostoma lecontei lecontie. 



FAMILY— THRASHERS, MOCKINGBIRDS, ETC. 



In the desert regions of southern Nevada, southwest- 

 ern Utah, and southern California, south, is found the 

 Leconte's Thrasher, a bird having lighter plumage to 

 blend with his habitat, the sun-baked desert. Here the 

 birds live in the chaparral, seldom flying but keep- 

 ing on the ground where they hide behind the brush. 

 Vernon Bailey says that they outrun a man and if 

 followed soon disappear, going with head low and tail 

 straight out behind like a Roadrunner, keeping always on 

 the far side of each bunch of bushes. Like the rest of 

 their tribe they are enthusiastic songsters and pour forth 

 their lay from the top of some bush, adding life and joy 

 to the hot, dry places where they dwell. 



SUBGENUS HARPORHYNCHUS : 

 CRISSAL THRASHER. 



Grissal Thrasher: Toxostoma crissdle. 



FAMILY— THRASHERS, MOCKINGBIRDS, ETC. 



Another desert bird which is found breeding from 

 southern Nevada and Utah to Lower California, and 

 from southeastern California to western Texas, is the 

 Crissal Thrasher. It is fond of the low junipers and 

 mesquites in the rough sides of rocky canyons. It may 

 be distinguished from other desert Thrashers by its white 

 throat and malar stripe. The rufous under-tail coverts 

 have caused the bird "to be called the Red-vented 

 Thrasher. The bill is long and much curved. 



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