Brown Thrasher

A large, rufous-backed songbird skulks through dense shrubs and thickets, spending much of its time on the ground flipping leaf litter aside with its long, curved bill to find insects. Its extensive, varied song of paired phrases is one of the richest in North America and often the easiest way to locate a singing male in spring. Hedgerows, overgrown fields, and forest edges across the eastern and central United States are the best places to look, especially during the spring breeding season when males sing from exposed perches.