Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Brown Thrasher
Scientific name:	Toxostoma rufum
Date:	9-24-2020
Time:	6:45pm
Length of time observed:	5 minutes
Number:	1
Age:	Unknown
Sex:	Unknown
Location:	Bird feeder, 695 Freedom Way, Big Water, UT
County:	Kane
Latilong:	37.06872, -111.64329
Elevation:	4,000 ft.
Distance to bird:	5-6 feet
Optical equipment:	Vortex Viper Binoculars
Weather:	Clear
Light Conditions:	Early evening, sun still up
Description: Size of bird:	About 10 or 11" long
(Description:) Basic Shape:	Thrasher size and shape
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	Reddish-brown with pale streaked breast
(Description:) Bill Type:	Long, very slight curve
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	On September 24, 2020, 6:45pm, I noticed a bigger than usual bird sitting on my feeder, raking the seed with a long beak and moving around the edge. It was too big for the feeder, but was determined to rake its long bill through the seeds, stopping to chew on something occasionally. In spite of the fact that it was on my bird feeder, my first thought was thrasher. I have two Crissal thrashers that run around my area - especially in the damp dirt produced by my drip system, and I have seen other thrashers elsewhere. The size, shape and long bill looked like their shape. I knew from the striking reddish-brown color and straighter bill that it was not a Crissal thrasher, so I started making notes using my binoculars to observe details. Unusual bright reddish-brown color over upper body, obvious streaking on a pale breast, long tail, double white wing bars and long, but fairly straight beak. I glanced for my camera, but did not want to waste time trying to get it as I didn t think the bird would stay long on the feeder, and I was right. It was only there about five minutes, but it was long enough for me to get a good look and make notes on the details I mentioned. I thought the behavior at my bird feeder was unusual for a thrasher, but the body shape, coloring and field markings still made me think it was a thrasher.
Song or call & method of delivery:
Behavior:	Raking seeds with its long beak
Habitat:	Bird feeder with all purpose seed
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	I first considered the sage thrasher( brown thrasher bigger, has a longer tail), then the long-billed thrasher (brown thrasher has no gray around the face, a straighter beak, more intense reddish-brown color), the curve-billed thrasher (wrong color and has a slightly more curved bill),and the Bendire s thrasher (again wrong color and more curved bill). The size, the straighter bill, the streaks on the lower body, wing bars and especially the striking reddish-brown color all over its upper body, head and tail gave me the Brown thrasher identification. I then also looked at a Wood Thrush as it was mentioned as a similar bird. While it has similar coloration, it is much smaller than the brown thrasher and has a shorter tail and beak. The long tail, streak marks on the pale breast, white wing bars, large size and intense reddish-brown color confirmed the identification for me. I also looked at my National Geographic and Kaufman bird identification books, and then online at the Cornell site. Even though none of my sources mentioned any thrasher eating seeds from a bird feeder, every source agreed with my physical traits notes that it was a Brown Thrasher.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	I have Crissal thrashers that are on the ground around my yard a lot I have seen California Thrashers and Sage thrashers in Joshua Tree and Curve-billed Thrashers near Tucson. I have never seen a Brown Thrasher before
References consulted:	Sibley, National Geographic, and Kaufman Bird ID Guides, CornellLab online
Description from:	Notes taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	Pat Larkin
Observer's address:	695 Freedom Way, Big Water, UT
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	None
Date prepared:	10-3-2020
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