Thrasher (Crissal)

A drably coloured inhabitant of desert washes and riparian thickets of the American Southwest and central Mexico, the Crissal Thrasher can be recognized by its long, down-curved bill, its long tail, and its reddish under tail. Its mellow, musical song makes it one of the finest desert songsters.

The nest of the Crissal Thrasher is usually built close up under a large branch, making access rather difficult. The location seems to afford protection from both aerial predators and from the direct rays of the sun.

The Crissal Thrasher walks and runs around its territory more than it flies. Even when disturbed by a person or a predator the thrasher is most likely to run away to cover.

Photographed in the wild, Naples, FL