Toxostoma

Toxostoma
Brown thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Mimidae
Genus:	Toxostoma Wagler, 1831
Type species
Toxostoma vetula Wagler, 1831

Toxostoma is a genus of bird in the family Mimidae. This genus contains most of the birds called thrashers, and accordingly members of this genus are sometimes referred to as the "typical thrashers".

Description

They measure 22 to 32 cm long. Its tail is straight and quite long, as much or more than the body. As in the mulattoes and the mockingbirds, the bill is curved downwards, and is generally long, although it varies according to the species. Its plumage is opaque, brownish or greyish, with darker wings and tail. On the wings there are usually stripes of a lighter shade. The feathers on the throat, chest and belly are usually light (white or greyish) and in most species these parts of the body have dark spots. The eyes can be yellow, orange or reddish.

They generally feed on insects, but also on fruits, seeds, worms, molluscs and, occasionally, small reptiles.

Most are songbirds that make musical sounds, and are therefore prized as cage birds. Some species also have migratory habits, since in summer they move to the south of their nesting area. They prefer desert or semi-desert habitats and areas of shrubby vegetation; some species inhabit forests, and only one (T. guttatum) is tropical.

Species

The genus name Toxostoma comes from the Ancient Greek toxon, "bow" or "arch" and stoma, "mouth".

The genus contains the following species:

Image	Scientific name	Common Name	Distribution
	Toxostoma ocellatum	Ocellated thrasher	Mexico between Puebla and Oaxaca
	Toxostoma rufum	Brown thrasher	eastern and central United States and southern and central Canada
	Toxostoma guttatum	Cozumel thrasher	island of Cozumel off the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico.
	Toxostoma bendirei	Bendire's thrasher	southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.
	Toxostoma curvirostre	Curve-billed thrasher	Mexico and to the deserts of southwestern United States.
	Toxostoma lecontei	LeConte's thrasher	southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.
	Toxostoma crissale	Crissal thrasher	Southwestern United States (western Texas, southern New Mexico, southern Arizona, southeastern California, extreme southern Nevada, and extreme southwestern Utah) to central Mexico.
	Toxostoma redivivum	California thrasher	California and Baja California.
	Toxostoma cinereum	Gray thrasher	Baja California peninsula of Mexico.
	Toxostoma longirostre	Long-billed thrasher	South Texas and eastern Mexico.