Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Brown Thrasher
Scientific name:	Toxostoma rufum
Date:	October 16, 2020
Time:	10:00 am
Length of time observed:	30 min. Saw it both in the afternoon of oct. 15 and morning of the 16.
Number:	1 bird
Age:	33 [this may be the observers age?]
Sex:	Male
Location:	Capitol Reef National Park- Fruita
County:	Wayne
Latilong:
Elevation:
Distance to bird:	50- 100 feet
Optical equipment:	Binoculars nikon monarch
Weather:	Clear sky, 50 deg
Light Conditions:	Good lighting
Description: Size of bird:	11-12 inches
(Description:) Basic Shape:	Long body and tail
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	Brown/red backside with heavily streaked breast
(Description:) Bill Type:	Slightly Down-curved
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	Unmistakeable thrasher behavior and distinguished red/brown color on the back with a long tail and streaked breast. Yellow eye. Slightly down-curved bill. Saw it hopping on the ground foraging for insects right at a forest edge next to a Riparian River zone.
Song or call & method of delivery:	Was not actively singing.
Behavior:	Mostly on the ground, foraging and scratching the ground looking for food.
Habitat:	Riparian zone on a forest edge with thicket/shrub environment with a river close by
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	This bird was foraging on the ground with other sparrows, including juncos, white crowned sparrows, chipping sparrows, and spotted towhees. Robins were also close by. This bird stood out by how long its tail was and how rufous its back side was and how streaked its breast was. Its long tail and larger size definitely made it look longer than a robin and stand out from these other birds. There was also a hermit thrush nearby on the ground and while the coloring was more similar, the size difference with this was very apparent. I've seen other thrashers before, including sage, curve-billed, and crissal. The typical thrasher mannerism was apparent in this observation. The long tail and rufous backside made it very distinguishable from these thrasher species as well as others that may be seen in Utah. The heavily streaked breast was very noticeable and apparent. The bill was down-curved, but well smaller than a crissal or Le Conte's thrasher. Its size was relatively similar to a crissal thrasher but the coloring very different. Its larger size also helped distinguish it from a sage thrasher more commonly seen in Utah. It compares most with the long-billed thrasher, but the range of the brown Thrasher makes this bird much more likely to see in Utah than the long-billed thrasher.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	First time seeing it.
References consulted:	Audubon and cornell bird apps; national geographic field bird guide
Description from:	Notes taken at the time of the sighting
Observer:	Clayton Sainsbury
Observer's address:	PO box 742 Mona, UT 84645
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	No others identified independently, but one other with birding background confirmed my observations and agreed with my assessed identification.
Date prepared:	11/01/2020
Additional material:
Additional comments:	I submitted this form after a request to do so following the cornell ebirder submission and review.