California Thrasher

California Thrasher

Toxostoma redivivum

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at San Diego

In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%

5,010 Verified sightings at San Diego
438 In all 4 parks From 2019 to 2026
May Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the California Thrasher

The California thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum) is a large member of family Mimidae found primarily in chaparral habitat in California in the United States and Baja California in Mexico. It is the only species of the genus Toxostoma throughout most of its range.

The California thrasher is closely related to the crissal thrasher (Toxostoma crissale) and LeConte's thrasher (T. lecontei), and the three may form a superspecies. The phylogeography of the California thrasher has been explored through a study analyzing mitochondrial-DNA variation. The distribution of genealogical lineages within the species reflects a complex series of ecological and historical events that have shaped its current geographical distribution. The phylogeographic analysis sheds light on the evolutionary history and the distribution patterns of this bird across its range.

The California thrasher is about 32 cm (13 in) long and weighs up to 90 g (3.2 oz); it is the largest thrasher. It has a distinctive long, decurved beak and a long tail. It is generally deep grayish brown above with olive tones... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Song1:30

United States · 2024

© Ed Pandolfino · XC875436 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Call1:03

United States · 2023

© Matthew L. Brady · XC842727 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Drumming0:24

United States · 2020

© Steve Hampton · XC544576 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
2 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
3 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
4 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 San Diego 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
2 Los Angeles 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
3 San Francisco 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
4 Sacramento 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a California Thrasher in San Diego?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a California Thrasher sighting in San Diego on a given day, based on 5,010 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 72nd most-seen of the 386 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a California Thrasher in San Diego?

April and May

In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a California Thrasher in San Diego on a given day, against about 10% in June to March, the lowest months. Those are among San Diego's driest months, with about 10 mm of rain a month against 55 mm in February.

What time of day is best to see a California Thrasher?

Between 7 and 10 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most California Thrasher sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is San Diego the best place to see a California Thrasher?

Yes

Of the 4 cities where we can rate California Thrasher sightings, San Diego has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Los Angeles (United States, about 10%) and San Francisco (United States, under 5%).

Where does the California Thrasher sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the California Thrasher is recorded against all the birds logged in San Diego (5,010 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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