Rare Bird Report #: 70-B-06

Idaho Bird Records Committee Rarities Report Form

Species: Brown Thrasher

Reporter: Jay Carlisle

6105 Kirkwood Rd

Boise, ID 83709

jaycarlisle@boisestate.edu

Other Observer: Craig Fosdick, other Idaho Bird Observatory crew members, and Cliff Weisse (who last saw the bird on 8-28)

Date Report Prepared: 12-6-06

Date Sighting Occurred: 7-27-05 through 8-28-05 (and presumably the same bird first seen by Craig at the refuge bunkhouse on 6-22-05)

Locality of Observation: Camas NWR headquarters, Jefferson Co.

Habitat: riparian woodland

Conditions: many different days and many close views; I used Swarovski EL 10x42 binoculars

Did you take notes? not at all

Did you consult a field guide or other reference work? no

What guide(s) or reference(s) did you consult?

Description: A robin-sized bird with a long tail and a thick, slightly decurved bill. Upperparts rufous (reddish-brown) with 2 prominent whitish wing bars. Underside whitish with prominent dark streaking on chest and belly. During close views, it was apparent that this bird had worn flight feathers and, during late July, Craig observed that the bird was undergoing symmetric tail feather molt. Both of these details point to this being an adult bird (which makes sense if it first appeared in June).

Behavior: The bird was relatively secretive during this entire period (but was seen almost daily for some stretches) and was most often seen when flushed from low shrubs or weedy patches while I was en route to mist nets or point counts. It spent most of its time along ‘Redstart Lane’ (E-W running row of trees and shrubs towards W side of headquarters wooded area) – especially towards the eastern end of it.

How and when did you positively identify the bird, and what clinched the identification for you? Right away due to the rich rufous coloration, long tail, decurved bill, and size.

How did you eliminate similar species, and what were they? This is a very straight forward identification and the only similar-appearing species (Long-billed Thrasher) occurs only in southern Texas and Mexico (with extremely rare vagrants to states not far from Texas). Long-billed has a more curved bill, grayer upperparts, and an orange eye (though I was unable to confirm eye color of this bird). Most other thrasher species have quite plain breasts and Sage Thrasher has a straighter bill and much duller coloration.

Experience with this species (and similar species): I have observed many hundreds, if not thousands, of Brown Thrashers – especially in South Dakota (and surrounding states) and Connecticut. I have seen 1 other in Idaho – a bird seen on 9-24-06, also at Camas NWR (see separate report). I have seen at least 20 Long-billed Thrashers in Mexico and Texas.

General birding experience: extensive; 14+ years in US and Latin America

Were photo(s), video, and/or audio obtained by you? (If yes, please include or attach) No.