CRISSAL THRASHER 425 



long, curving bill, but it is somewhat smaller and their ranges do not 

 overlap, except in a small section of southeastern California. It is 

 not likely to be confused with LeConte's thrasher, for the latter is much 

 paler in coloration and the habitats of the two do not overlap; the 

 crissal almost never ventures out onto the open desert, and LeConte's 

 is not likely to be seen in the shady thickets where the crissal lives, 

 Mr. Gilman (1909) has this to say about recognizing the three species 

 that are most likely to be seen in the same habitat : 



In the field it is somewhat difficult to be sure in distinguishing the three species, 

 Palmer, Bendire and Crissal. At close range, or if the birds are near enough 

 together to compare, it is easy enough ; but at a distance a single bird may puzzle. 



In general it may be said that Crissal is darkest, has more curve to his bill 

 and has a bobbing, jerky flight quite similar to that of the California thrasher. 

 Palmer is a little larger, apparently at any rate, is lighter in color and has 

 much of the same jerky flight. Bendire is smallest and lightes.t of the three and 

 has a smooth, even flight. Both Palmer and Bendire have obsolete spots on the 

 breast and light tips to outside tail feathers, but Bendire has the more distinct 

 spots and whiter tail tips. 



The crissal thrasher has no spotting on the breast, even when young. 

 "At close range, say on the nest, the eye is indicative. Crissal has a 

 straw-colored iris; Palmer, orange; and Bendire, orange red." 



Winter. — Crissal thrashers are apparently permanently resident 

 throughout their range, with only altitudinal migrations in spring and 

 fall, up to about 5,000 feet in summer and fall and down to the warmer 

 valleys in winter. Dr. Mearns (1886) says of these movements in 

 Arizona : 



The Verde Valley here has an altitude of 3,500 feet, and a much warmer climate 

 than the bordering mesas and foothills, which in winter are often deeply 

 covered with snow. Although they may be occasionally met with in the snow 

 belt, most of them descend into the warmer valleys in severely cold weather. 

 I have seen numbers of them feeding upon the bare sand upon the edge of 

 the Verde River after a snowstorm. Making proper allowance for their being 

 more conspicuous in winter on account of the absence of foliage, the species is 

 undoubtedly far more plentiful in the Verde Valley during the winter season 

 than in summer, when many of those which winter here move upward into the 

 zone of scrub oaks, in which they breed in abundance wherever they can find 

 water within a convenient distance. The exodus takes place about the end of 

 February, after which the species becomes comparatively scarce; and by the 

 middle of March nearly all those remaining are settled and occupied with 

 domestic affairs. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range.— Sonthwestern United States and northern Mexico; non- 

 migratory. 



The range of the crissal thrasher is north to southeastern California 

 (Palm Springs, Indio, and the Providence Mountains) ; southern 

 Nevada (Cottonwood Spring in the Charleston Mountains, Vegas 

 Valley, St. Thomas, and Bunkerville) ; southwestern Utah (St. 



