Le Conte's Thrasher
birdfotos.com
Le Conte's Thrasher
*************************
***************************************
The "X" in the above map indicates where this LeConte's Thrasher nest was located.
farther into this program we will show you what the desert looks like at this location.
In this way you can get a good idea why you won't find them very easily.
******************************
This is a very secretive bird and very difficult to locate.
During the mating season you may see them singing from the tops of bushes,
but after that they will be most difficult to find.
In viewing the LeConte's for a couple of months I have found that
they very seldom fly more than 2 feet off the ground, also
they may run on the ground for quite a distance much like a roadrunner.
*******************************************
Let's take a good look at this LeConte's Thrasher.
Note the dark eye.
If you could really get close in person you would see that the
eye is not black but a very deep dark reddish color.
Many of the Thrashers will have a curved bill so that's not a good ID feature.
*********************
Here is the real identifying mark. The under tail coverts* are what is called Tawny color.
*Arrow #1 Coverts-meaning, the smaller feathers of the wing or tail
that cover the base of the larger remiges ( flight feathers or large Quill feathers)
or rectrices (tail feathers); same as **tectrices.
** Arrow #2 tectrices.
Also note how the bird is standing.
This is a typical stance for this bird,
and more than likely the way you will see it, if you ever do see it, in the field.
************************************
Note the dark colored tail feathers in contrast to the body feathers color.
***********************
Note the clear gray-buff colored breast color.
Note the black arrow.
It is pointing to one the black lines under the bill.
I call these whiskers, however, I don't know that is the correct terminology for this mark.
The bug in the birds mouth is a "Walking Stick".
*******************
Typical stance if you see this bird in the field.
*************************
Unless you were to witness them in the act of Copulation,
you would not be able to distinguish the male from the female.
*********************************
On to my photo story of the raising of the LeConte's Thrasher family in the Arizona Desert.
You may contact me at birdfotos@aol.com