Georgia State Bird
Brown Thrasher (common name)  Toxostoma rufum (scientific name) Overview The brown thrasher is a medium-sized thrush that was adopted as the state bird of Georgia in 1970. The bird's back is brownish-red and it has a grayish face and yellow eyes. Brown thrashers forage on or near the ground for insects (especially beetles) and other small animals in the spring and summer, turning up soil and poking under leaves to find prey; in fall and winter, they eat the berries and fruit of shrubs and trees. Brown thrashers sing from exposed perches and have one of the most diverse ranges of songs for any North American bird; their song can be quite prolonged. They build large, crude, cup-shaped nests in shrubs or bushes on or near the ground. The nest is made out of twigs and leaves with a lining of grass on the inside. Both birds incubate their eggs. Chicks are able to fly after two weeks, after which both adults continue to care for their young for a short while. Close-up STATUS Official ALSO KNOWN AS Brown mockingbird, brown thrush, corn planter, French mockingbird, ground thrush, red mavis, red thrush, rust robin, sandy mockingbird, song thrush PHYSICAL DETAILS  Male Female  Size Length to end of tail: 9.1-11.8 in (23-30 cm) Wing from flexure: 11.4-12.6 in (29-32 cm) Length of tail: 5 in (12 cm) Length to end of tail: 9.1-11.8 in (23-30 cm) Wing from flexure: 11.4-12.6 in (29-32 cm) Length of tail: 5 in (12 cm)  Weight 2.2-3.1 oz (61-89 g) 2.2-3.1 oz (61-89 g) BEHAVIOR The brown thrasher is a reclusive bird, but it will aggressively defend its nest by pecking animals or even humans hard enough to draw blood. HABITAT Woodland edges, brushy areas, hedges, gardens, thickets, open fields, and residential areas. Range: Breeds from central Canada to the Gulf Coast of Florida. Winters in the southern part of its breeding range. Migration: From late March to early May, brown thrashers fly north. They return from mid-September to mid-October. Many brown thrashers are permanent residents in Georgia and elsewhere in the southeastern United States. Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC). Habitat encroachment is causing a decline in populations. NESTING Nesting Period: Early March-July Size of Clutch: 2-6 eggs Incubation Period: 11-14 days Egg Description: glossy white to light greenish-blue in color with reddish-brown speckles Egg Size: 1-1.1 x 0.75-0.77 in (25-28 mm x 19-20 mm) SIMILAR SPECIES Wood thrush, long-billed thrasher, northern mockingbird, gray catbird TRIVIA Brown thrashers are mimics that will sing the songs of other species as part of their own songs.
	Click to enlarge an image Male Brown Thrasher Female Brown Thrasher Brown Thrasher Building Nest Brown Thrasher Distribution Map (pdf) CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Mimidae Genus: Toxostoma Species: T. rufum
	Author: World Trade Press