From Opus

Toxostoma crissale

Photo by Chuck A Walla

Corn Cr., Nevada.

[edit] Identification

20cm.

• Dark grey brown above
• Grey below
• White throat
• Dark moustachial stripe
• Red undertail
• Rust coloured belly and undertail coverts
• Long dark tail
• Yellow iris
• Long, down-curved bill
• Dark legs
• Sexes similar

[edit] Distribution

Southern California, southern Nevada, most of Arizona, most of New Mexico, western Texas and northern Mexico.

[edit] Taxonomy

Polytypic. Consists of four subspecies.

[edit] Habitat

Riparian thickets and desert areas.

[edit] Behaviour

The diet includes insects, spiders, seeds, and berries.

It builds its nest from twigs, lined with plant material, close to the branch; 1-4 blue green, unspotted eggs are laid and are incubated by both parents for 14 days.

[edit] References

Cornell Lab of Ornithology; USGS; Whatbird.com

[edit] External Links