THRASHERS

Crissal Thrasher

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Toxostoma crissale

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.

The Crissal Thrashers are large, long-tailed birds with a curved bill.
Adults are grayish-brown overall with a black and white mustache stripe. Undertail coverts are rich cinnamon color.
Both sexes are 11.8 inches in length, with 12.6 inches wingspan and 53 - 70 grams weight.

CALL: Call note is a "pitchoree." 

SONG: A long series of rich, warbled, variable phrases.

Feeds mostly on insects, but will also take fruits and berries in season. They will on occasion eat very small vertebrates such as small lizards.

Found in arid areas of very thick brush, such as thickets of mesquite or chaparral.

Southwestern United States (western Texas, southern New Mexico, southern Arizona, southeastern California, extreme southern Nevada, and extreme southwestern Utah) to central Mexico.

The nest 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 pale blue and unmarked eggs, and both parents help to incubate them.  Upon hatching, both parents help to raise the young. 

SOURCES:
https://en.wikipedia.org
https://www.allaboutbirds.org
https://www.sdakotabirds.com