Sage Thrasher

Description:

Small thrasher, gray upperparts, dark-streaked white underparts with pale brown wash. The head is gray, bill is short and slightly decurved. Wings are dark with thin,white bars. Tail is dark with white corners. Legs and feet are black. Fast flight on shallow wing beats.

Habitat:

El Malpais National Monument is a United States National Monument that is located south of I-40 in northwestern New Mexico. The name (meaning "the badlands" in Spanish) comes from the rough, barren lava flow that makes up much of its terrain. El Malpais National Monument and Conservation Area was established in 1987. The national monument protects 114,277 acres of volanic landscape, while the adjacent national conservation area protects an additional 263,000 acres. The area has been inhabited for over 10,000 years, and historic and archeological sites provide reminders of past times. To this day Indian groups including the Acoma, Laguna, Zuni, and the Ramah Navajo still utilize the park for traditional activities including gathering herbs and medicines, paying respect, and renewing ties.

Notes:

A bird of the sagebrush, the Sage Thrasher is the smallest of the thrashers. It is elusive when disturbed, frequently running on the ground rather than taking flight. Some genetic studies suggest that they are more closely related to mockingbirds than true thrashers.