The Bird Book/Wrens

WRENS, THRASHERS, ETC. Family TROGLODYTID^

702. SAGE THRASHER. Oreoscoptes montanus.

Range. Plains and valleys of western United States, east of the Sierra Nevadas, from Montana to Mexico.

This species is abundant in the sage regions of the west, nesting on the ground or at low elevations in sage or other bushes. Their nests are made of twigs, rootlets and bark strips, lined with fine rootlets; the three or four eggs are a handsome greenish blue, brightly spotted with reddish brown and gray. Size .95 x .70. Data. Salt Lake Co., Utah, May 11, 1900. Nest placed in a sage bush; made of twigs of the same and lined with bark strips. Collector, W. H. Parker, (Crandall collection.)

419

Urreenish

THE BIRD BOOK

703.

MOCKINGBIRD. polyglottos

Mimus polyglottos

Range. South Atlantic and Gulf States, north to New Jersey and Illinois.

These noted birds are very common in the south where they are found, and nest about houses in open woods, fields, and along roadways; their nests are rude, bulky structures of twigs, grasses, leaves, etc.,

placed in trees or bushes Dull greenish blue at low elevations; the three to five eggs are usually dull greenish blue, boldly spotted with brownish. Size .95 x .72.

703a. WESTERN MOCKINGBIRD. Mimus polyglottos leucopterus.

Range. Southwestern United States from Texas to California, and southward.

This subspecies is as common in its range, and its habits are the same as those of the eastern bird. The nests and eggs are identical with those of the last, and like that variety they frequently nest in odd places as do all common birds when they become familiar with civilization.

Mockingbird

704*. CATBIRD. Dumetella carolinensis.

Range. North America, breeding from the Gulf States to the Saskatchewan; rare on the Pacific coast; winters in the Gulf States and southward.

This well known mimic is abundant in the temperate portions of its range, frequenting open woods, swamps, hillsides and hedges. Their nests are usually low down in bushes or trees, and are constructed similarly to those of the Mockingbird, of twigs and rootlets; a tangled mass of vines and briers is a fa Bluish green vorite place for them to locate their home. Their eggs are laid in the latter part of May or during June, and are from three to five in number and a bright bluish green in color, unmarked. Size .95 x .70.

420

PERCHING BIRDS

Greenish white

705. BROWN THRASHER. Toxostoma rufum

Range. Eastern North America, breeding from the Gulf States north to Canada. Win ters in the Gulf States and southward.

This large, handsome songster is found breeding in just such localities as are preferred by the Catbird and the two are often found nesting in the same hedge or thicket. The nests, too, are similar but that of the Thrasher is usually more bulky; besides building in bushes they frequently nest on

the ground, lining the hollow under some bush with fine rootlets. Their three to five eggs are laid during May or June; they are whitish or pale greenish white, profusely dotted with reddish brown. Size 1.05 x .80. Brown Thrusiu-r

706. SENNETT'S THRASHER. Toxostoma longirostre sennetti. Range. Southern Texas and northeastern Mexico.

Very similar to the last but darker above and with the spots on the breast blacker and more distinct. This species which is very abundant in the Lower Rio Grande Valley nests the same as the last species in thick hedges and the eggs are very similar to those of the Brown Thrasher, but in a large series, average more sparingly marked over the whole surface and with a more definite wreath about the large end. Data. Corpus

Christi, Texas, May 12, 1899. Nest

of twigs and vines in a bush in

thicket. Six feet from the ground.

indant in the Lower

m

i07a 708 710

Greenish white

CURVE-BILLED THRASHER. Toxostoma currirostre curvirostre.

Range. Mexico, north to southern Texas and eastern New Mexico.

This species is a uniform ashy gray above and soiled white below; the bill is stout and decurved. These birds are as numerous in the Lower Rio Grande Valley as are the Sennett's Thrasher, frequenting thickets where they breed in scrubby bushes and cacti. Their nests are rather larger and more deeply cupped than are those ol: the last species and the eggs can easily be distinguished. They have a ground color of light bluish green, minutely dotted evenly all over the surface with reddish brown. Size 1.10 x .80. Data. Brownsville, Texas, April

6, 1900. 5 eggs. Nest of sticks and thorns on a cactus in a thicket; 6 feet from the ground, 421

ties and cacti, men

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707a. PALMER'S THRASHER. Toxostoma curvirostre palmeri.

Range. Very abundant in southern Arizona and southward into Mexico.

The nesting habits and eggs of these birds are exactly like those of the last; they show a preference for placing their nests of sticks and thorny twigs upon cacti at elevations below five feet from the ground. Like the last, they generally raise two broods a season.

708. BENPIRE'S THRASHER. Toxostoma bendirei.

Range. Southern Arizona and Mexico; north locally to southern Colorado.

This species is not as abundant in the deserts of southern Arizona as are the last species with which they associate. /'"" They nest at low elevations in mesquites or cacti, laying their first sets in March and early April and usually raising two brooks a season; their three or four eggs are dull whitish, spotted and blotched with brownish drab and lilac gray. Size 1.00 x .72. Data. Tucson, Arizona, April 15, 1896. Nest 3 feet up in a cholla cactus; made of large sticks lined with fine grasses. Grayish white

709. SAN LUCAS THRASHER. Toxostoma cinereum cihereum.

Range. Southern Lower California. This species is similar to curvirostre but the under parts are spotted with dusky. Their habits and nests are similar to those of the other Thrashers and the three four eggs are P ale greenish white, spotted with reddish brown. Size 1.08 x .75. Data. Santa Anita, June 3, 1896. 3 eggs. Nest in a cactus.

Pale greenish white

70Qa. MEARNS'S THRASHER. Toxostoma cinereum mearnsi.

Range. Northern Lower California.

This species is described as darker than the last and with larger, blacker spots on the breast and underparts.

710. CALIFORNIA THRASHER. Toxostoma redivivum.

Range. Southern half of California, west of the Sierra Nevadas.

This species is more brownish than the other curvebilled species and has a much longer and more curved ^ ,. y -^. bill. They are common in the under brush of hillsides and ravines, where they locate their nests at low elevations. Their nests are made of sticks and grass, lined with rootlets, and the three or four eggs are bluish green with spots of russet brown. Size 1.12 x .82. Data. San Diego, Cal., Feb. 7, 1897. Nest of sticks and rootlets in a grease-wood bush 4 feet from the ground. Collector, Chas. W. Brown. Bluish green

422

Pale er

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