Photographs - © Walter Bauer - San Antonio, Texas - 1999
(Click on picture
to enlarge)
Field Marks: A common, large, long-billed grayish bird of deserts, thorn scrub, suburbs, brushy areas, and thickets. Often seen perched on a rock or bush. Flies rapidly, in a low direct fashion. Uses bill to dig in the dirt to find insects. Will also eat seeds as is seen in the above photographs.
Voice: Call is loud, sharp tsick! It's song is much like a gray catbird's but richer, more melodious, and sung in paired phrases.
Where Found: Breeds from se. Alberta east to s. Maine, south to Colorado, e. Texas, and Florida. Winters from Texas eastward as far north as Illinois, and along Atlantic Coast as far north as Massachusetts; rarely to Pacific Coast.
Texas: Resident in w. half of Texas from Panhandle (rare) to Rio Grande delta (uncommon). Quite common in the San Antonio area.
Habitat: Open country with scattered trees, roadsides, scrub, deserts, etc.
Nest: A twiggy cup in bush or tree. Eggs are 4-5 blue green. Dotted.