The Crissal Thrasher is a difficult bird to see in the arid Southwest of the United States, due to their preference for nesting and foraging in dense vegetative cover. They are most often seen foraging on the ground under dense brush, but occasionally in the spring, males may be seen on rather open perches, singing. Of the other thrasher species in the desert southwest, the Crissal Thrasher has the most curved bill, but otherwise, the plumage and structure can look quite similar to the Le Conte's Thrasher or California Thrasher.
Habitat
The Crissal Thrasher inhabits dense desert scrub, riparian thickets, mesquite bosques, washes, arroyos, and brushy desert canyons of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. It is especially associated with thick vegetation such as mesquite, catclaw acacia, tamarisk, and desert willow, where it spends much of its time hidden near the ground. Compared with many other thrashers, it favors denser cover and is often difficult to observe despite being locally common.
Diet
The Crissal Thrasher feeds on a variety of insects, spiders, and other small invertebrates, including beetles, ants, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and larvae. It also consumes berries, fruits, and seeds, especially during fall and winter. Like other thrashers, it often forages on the ground by sweeping aside leaf litter and loose soil with its long, curved bill in search of hidden prey.
Behavior
The Crissal Thrasher is a secretive, ground-oriented bird that spends much of its time moving quietly through dense desert thickets and riparian vegetation. It typically forages beneath shrubs and low cover, using its long bill to probe and sweep through leaf litter and soil for insects and other food. Unlike some thrashers that readily perch in the open, Crissal Thrashers often remain concealed and are more frequently heard than seen. During the breeding season, males may sing from exposed shrubs or treetops while defending territories.
Nesting
The nest of a Crissal Thrasher is a large cup of twigs and thorns, lined with softer vegetative material. It is placed in dense shrubs like mesquite, usually quite low to the ground. The female lays 2 or 3 eggs, and both parents help to incubate them. Upon hatching, both parents help to raise the young. Crissal Thrashers often raise 2 broods in a breeding season.
Song
The Crissal Thrasher is an accomplished singer with a rich, melodious series of clear whistles, warbles, and repeated phrases. Its song is often slower, more musical, and less harsh than that of many other thrashers, with individual phrases commonly repeated several times before changing. Calls include soft chucks, chatters, and scolding notes used during territorial and social interactions.
Migration
Considered a permanent resident throughout its normal range. They are not known to wander far from their normal range.
Similar Species
California Thrasher :The Crissal Thrasher is grayer overall and shows rich rusty-cinnamon undertail coverts , while the California Thrasher is browner and more uniformly colored below. California Thrashers also have a noticeably longer, more strongly decurved bill.
Le Conte's Thrasher : LeConte's Thrasher is much paler, with sandy-buff plumage that blends into desert habitats, whereas Crissal Thrashers appear darker and grayer. Crissal Thrashers are also more closely associated with dense riparian thickets, while LeConte's favors open desert scrub and dunes.
Curve-billed Thrasher : Curve-billed Thrashers have conspicuous orange-yellow eyes and bold spotting on the breast, features lacking in the more uniformly colored Crissal Thrasher. Crissal Thrashers also show a warmer rusty undertail area and tend to remain hidden in dense vegetation rather than perching conspicuously in the open.
Feeders
Will sometimes attend feeders for fruits and berries.
Conservation Status
The Crissal Thrasher is generally considered a species of low conservation concern and remains fairly widespread across the deserts and riparian corridors of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. However, local populations can be affected by the loss and degradation of dense riparian habitats, groundwater depletion, invasive plants, and urban development. Because the species relies heavily on thick desert thickets and streamside vegetation, the protection and restoration of these habitats are important for maintaining healthy populations. The IUCN considers the Crissal Thrasher to be a species of "least concern".
Photo Information
Photo taken by J.N. Stuart - December 27th, 2010 - Sunset Park, Las Vegas - Photo licensed under Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivs 2.0 Generic License .
Interactive eBird Map
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