Curve-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre)

Curve-billed Thrasher
Toxostoma curvirostre

The *Curve-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre)* occurs across much of the American southwest and Mexico. The various populations of Curve-billed Thrashers are visibly different from the plain-breasted, yellow-eyed birds of Arizona, such as the top two photos show, to the spotted-breasted, more orange-eyed birds in south and west Texas. The Arizona birds also seem to have longer tails. The bird on top of a blooming Saguaro Cactus below was photographed in Tucson, Pima Co., Arizona, in April, 2005, with a Canon EOS 1D Mark II and EF 600mm F/4 L IS lens and 1.4X extender. The bird on the right was photographed in the same area in April, 2003, with a Canon EOS 10D and the same lens.

Below are two shots from Starr Co., Texas, in November, 2004. The bird at right was crouched down and about to hop to another limb. These two shots were taken with a Canon EOS 1D Mark II and EF 600mm F/4 L IS lens.

Immediately below is a shot from Hidalgo Co., Texas, in December, 2005. It was photographed with the same equipment as the two above images.
The next three shots are from the spring of 2006, all in Hidalgo Co., Texas and all with a Canon EOS 1D Mark II and EF 600mm F/4 L IS lens and 1.4X extender.


The Curve-billed Thrasher just below was in Kenedy Co., Texas, in February, 2000. This shot was taken with a Canon EOS 1N and EF 600mm F/4 L lens on Fuji Provia film.
The Curve-billed Thrasher below was in the Davis Mountains of west Texas, Jeff Davis Co., in June, 2001. It was photographed with the same gear as just above.
The next 5 images of Curve-billed Thrasher were taken in Catalina, Pima Co., Arizona, in March, 2009, with a Canon EOS 1D Mark III and EF 800mm F/5.6 L IS lens.




Curve-billed Thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre Dos Venadas Ranch, Starr Co., Texas 14 May 2010