Bendire's Thrasher

Overview

Bendire's Thrasher: Medium thrasher with olive-brown upperparts, spotted buff underparts. Bill is short, gray and slightly decurved with pale pink lower mandible base. Eyes are yellow-orange. Tail is long, olive-brown above, black with white tips below, and has brown undertail coverts.

Range and Habitat

Bendire's Thrasher: Breeds in southeastern California, southern Nevada, southern Utah, southern Colorado, and western and central New Mexico south to central Sonora. Spends winters in northwestern Mexico. Preferred habitats include semi-desert and desert areas, with large shrubs or cacti and open ground, and open woodlands with scattered shrubs and trees.

INTERESTING FACTS

Prefers deserts less than 1800m in elevation, and can inhabit areas around human habitation and agriculture if Curve-billed Thrashers are absent.
The Bendire's Thrasher was first identified in 1872 by U.S. Army Lieutenant Charles Bendire. It was the last of the thrashers to be described in North America because it is so similar to other thrashers in its range.
They fly from bush to bush, whereas other desert thrashers almost never fly.