Perch Supply
Mockingbirds and thrashers (Mimidae)

Brown Thrasher

Toxostoma rufum. Insects from leaf litter, nuts and fruit.

Mockingbirds and thrashers (Mimidae)Brown ThrasherToxostoma rufum
Scientific name
Toxostoma rufum
Length
9.1–11.8 in
Weight
2.1–3.1 oz
Nest
Twig cup low in thorny shrubs
Entrance hole
Does not use nest boxes
Clutch
3–5 eggs
Incubation
11–14 days
Broods
1–2 per season

Identification

  • Foxy rufous above with dark-streaked buff breast
  • Long tail and long curved bill
  • Yellow eye

Voice

Paired phrases — over 1,100 song types recorded.

Diet and feeding

Insects from leaf litter, nuts and fruit.

What do brown thrashers eat? · Best feeder for brown thrashers

Brown Thrashers by state and province

RegionStatusNesting
AlabamaYear-round residentMarch–July
AlbertaSummer breederMay–July
ArkansasYear-round residentApril–July
ColoradoSummer breederApril–July
ConnecticutSummer breederApril–July
DelawareSummer breederApril–July
FloridaYear-round residentMarch–July
GeorgiaYear-round residentMarch–July
IllinoisSummer breederApril–July
IndianaSummer breederApril–July
IowaSummer breederApril–July
KansasSummer breederApril–July
KentuckyYear-round residentApril–July
LouisianaYear-round residentMarch–July
MaineSummer breederMay–July
ManitobaSummer breederMay–July
MarylandSummer breederApril–July
MassachusettsSummer breederApril–July
MichiganSummer breederApril–July
MinnesotaSummer breederMay–July
MississippiYear-round residentMarch–July
MissouriSummer breederApril–July
MontanaSummer breederMay–July
NebraskaSummer breederApril–July
New HampshireSummer breederMay–July
New JerseySummer breederApril–July
New YorkSummer breederApril–July
North CarolinaYear-round residentApril–July
North DakotaSummer breederMay–July
OhioSummer breederApril–July
OklahomaYear-round residentApril–July
OntarioSummer breederMay–July
PennsylvaniaSummer breederApril–July
QuebecSummer breederMay–July
Rhode IslandSummer breederApril–July
SaskatchewanSummer breederMay–July
South CarolinaYear-round residentMarch–July
South DakotaSummer breederApril–July
TennesseeYear-round residentApril–July
TexasYear-round residentMarch–July
VermontSummer breederMay–July
VirginiaSummer breederApril–July
West VirginiaSummer breederApril–July
WisconsinSummer breederMay–July
WyomingSummer breederMay–July

Frequently asked

What do brown thrashers eat?

Insects from leaf litter, nuts and fruit. At feeders: suet, cracked corn, mealworms.

How big is a Brown Thrasher?

9.1–11.8 in long and 2.1–3.1 oz.

Do brown thrashers use birdhouses?

No. Twig cup low in thorny shrubs.

Sources

  1. Brown Thrasher — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  2. Brown Thrasher life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
  3. Brown Thrasher — Audubon Guide to North American Birds

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.