Thrasher, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA (1 Viewer)

OhioHick

Registered User

Supporter

• Jun 17, 2017

• #1

Another sighting from my latest trip to the desert southwest this past week. A thrasher, maybe Le Conte's, is my guess. Thanks for the help.

 

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KenM

Well-known member

• Jun 17, 2017

• #2

I'm thinking Bendire's Thrasher......bill is perhaps the least "curved" compared to the other Thrashers.

Cheers

 

M

mvrylee76

Member

• Jun 17, 2017

• #3

I would also say a Bendire's Thrasher. Yellow eyes and straighter bill than a Le Conte's or Curve-Bill Thrasher.

 

OhioHick

Registered User

Supporter

• Jun 17, 2017

• #4

Thanks. I see what you both are saying relative to the curvature of the beak. Eye color is also a good clue. I just don't catch all these details. But I'm learning!

 

J

Jim M.

Member since 2007

Supporter

• Jun 17, 2017

• #5

EBird has no sightings of Bendire's Thrasher in the Santa Fe area over the last 3 years. Juvenile Curve-billed Thrashers can look very similar to Bendire's Thrasher. So much so that Sibley notes the two are “best distinguished by voice.” So I would presume this is a young Curve-billed Thrasher, which is much more common in the area, unless I see convincing arguments otherwise, which I haven't seen yet.

 

lmans66

Out Birding....

Supporter

• Jun 17, 2017

• #6

It would be a Curve-billed...to me the bill looks larger and surely curved down. Notice also the 'slight' wing bars, ever so slight. But the birds as you get closer to Texas have this 'wing bar' effect. Seeing the front breast would surely help! jim