Adult has relatively long, decurved bill, yellow eye, gray face with black-and-white malar streak, sandy-brown wings and body, long tail, and reddish undertail coverts. In flight, note small buffy tail corners. California Thrasher has dark eye and orange tones underneath. Le Conte's Thrasher is very pale gray overall, lacking brown tones.

Length: 29 (cm) Wingspan: 32 (cm)

Voice:

Repeated, lilting, soft phrases. Call is a rolling chuck note.

Habitat:

Thickets, dense shrubs, riparian zones.

Behavior:

Rather secretive; hides inside dense vegetation. Males sing from exposed perches. Often holds tail high. Nest is cup of twigs, lined with finer materials, placed in dense shrub.

Feeding:

Forages on ground for insects, small animals, and occasional seeds and fruit. Sometimes visits bird feeders.