The Brown Thrasher can be found year-round in Florida’s scrub. This shy bird is smaller than its western counterparts but sports the same brown plumage and spotted belly. It has striking yellow eyes and a long, curved beak.
The Brown Thrasher prefers to keep among the shrubs and rifle through the leaf-litter and berry bushes below; because of this, they are often hard to spot. Despite this, they are fierce protectors of their nest, known for diving at people who unknowingly get too close. The best time to spot this bird is during the warmer months when the males perch higher to sing and attract a mate. Their songs are actually a mishmash of other birds’ calls.
Similar to mockingbirds, the Brown Thrasher steals snippets of songs from various birds and can even imitate their calls.
The Brown Thrasher has over 1,100 song types, so even if you can’t see the bird, you can listen for its call!
Photo Credit: Andy Waldo, Lynn Marie
Author: Sarina Pennington, IOF Volunteer. 
