Bendire's Thrasher

[Bendire's Thrasher -  © Jackie Shulters]
[Bendire's Thrasher - © Jackie Shulters]

The Bendire's Thrasher (Toxostoma bendirei) has been identified as a focal species of management concern due to a relatively small range-wide population (about 170,000 birds estimated by Partners in Flight), restricted distribution, and population decline over the past 40 years. Bendire's Thrasher is found in desert shrub habitats in scattered locations throughout northwest Mexico and the southwestern U.S. (primarily Arizona and New Mexico). Threats to this species are largely unknown because there is very little information on its ecology and life history. However, elimination of open shrub habitat due to development or overgrazing may reduce breeding areas and habitat quality. Other potential threats include disturbance by off-road vehicles and harvesting of yucca and cacti species that thrashers need for nesting.

Date: May 2010

Sources:
England, A. S., and W. F. Laudenslayer, Jr. 1993. Bendire's Thrasher (Toxostoma bendirei) . The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.) 71.

Sauer, J. R., J. E. Hines, and J. Fallon. 2008. The North American Breeding Bird Survey, Results and Analysis 1966 - 2007. Version 5.15.2008, Laurel, MD.


Species Profile from NatureServe

Bendire's Thrasher
Toxostoma bendirei

Description: A small bird (thrasher).

Life History: Clutch size three to four, rarely five (Ehrlich et al. 1988, England and Laudenslayer 1993). May raise multiple broods (Gilman 1915, England and Laudenslayer 1993). No information on incubation or time to fledging.

Habitat: Uses a variety of desert habitats with fairly large shrubs or cacti and open ground, or open woodland with scattered shrubs and trees, between 0 and 550 meters elevation. Species composition of vegetation varies across range. Not found in dense vegetation such as riparian woodland, although it may use edges (England and Laudenslayer 1993). Avoids uninterrupted brushy cover and continuous grassland (Phillips et al. 1964). In north and at higher elevations, found in sagebrush (ARTEMISIA sp.) and scattered junipers (JUNIPERUS sp.). At lower elevations, occurs in desert grassland and shrubland with spiny shrubs or cacti, such as cholla (OPUNTIA sp.), Joshua tree (YUCCA BREVIFOLIA), Spanish bayonet (Y. SCHIDIGERA), palo verde (CERCIDIUM sp.), mesquite (PROSOPIS sp.), catclaw (ACACIA sp.), desert-thorn (LYCIUM sp.) or AGAVE (AOU 1983, England and Laudenslayer 1993). In Mexico, occurs in arid to semiarid, open or semi-open country and grasslands, with scattered bushes, cacti, or hedges (Howell and Webb 1995). In southeastern Arizona, found in habitat dominated by creosote bush (LARREA TRIDENTATA) and clusters of cholla (Tomoff 1974). England and Laudenslayer (1993) observed that in southern New Mexico and southern Arizona, will breed in degraded desert grassland or desert scrub where there are shrubs but little grass. Also avoids the cholla that it favors further to north; possibly due to competition with Curve-billed Thrashers (TOXOSTOMA CURVIROSTRE). Sometimes also uses agricultural and urban areas where structure resembles natural habitat (Gilman 1915, Phillips et al. 1964, Rosenberg et al. 1991). Nests in low tree, shrub, or cactus, usually about 1-1.5 meters (sometimes 0.5-3.5 meters) above ground. Nests typically in mesquite, cholla, juniper, Joshua tree and other yucca species, but occasionally also in catclaw, palo verde, hackberry (CELTIS sp.), willow (SALIX sp.), saltbush (ATRIPLEX sp.; England and Laudenslayer 1993).

Distribution:

United States: AZ, CA, NM, NN, NV, UT

Status:

NatureServe Status: Global Status: G4G5, Global Status Last Reviewed: 03Dec1996, Global Status Last Changed: 03Dec1996, Rounded Global Status: G4 - Apparently Secure

Other Statuses: IUCN Red List Category: VU - Vulnerable

Resources:

Species Strategy

  • Action Plan [under development]

Taxonomy Helper

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Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)

Bendires Thrasher

    Kingdom: Animalia
    Division: Chordata
    Subdivision: Vertebrata
    Class: Aves
    Order: Passeriformes
    Family: Mimidae
    Genus: Toxostoma
    Species: Toxostoma bendirei
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