Bird
Brown Thrasher
Toxostoma rufum
Lives in Mississippi all year and nests here. Found in all 82 counties, across 9 habitats.
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 82 counties
- Habitats
- 9

At a glance
- Group
- Birds
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 82 counties
- Habitats
- 9
- Habitat models
- Summer, Winter
Where it lives
The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.
Habitats in Mississippi 9
Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.
Dense, evergreen groves of live oak, magnolia and other hardwoods in the southern Coastal Plain, from dry oak domes to wet hydric hammocks and south Florida's tropical hammocks; salt-shaped maritime hammocks are maritime forests.
Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.
Borders of forests, clearings and shrubby thickets.
Salt-pruned forests and shrub thickets behind coastal dunes.
Forests between dry and moist, often oak-hickory on slopes.
Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.
Tree plantations and managed pine
Planted or intensively managed stands of pine or hardwoods grown for timber; a land use rather than a natural community.
Other habitats in its models (109)
Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Mississippi. Those recorded in Mississippi first, the rest by region.
Elsewhere in the South (55)
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Maritime Forest Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry and Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood and Mixed Forest Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Brownwater River Floodplain Forest Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Maritime Forest Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Wet Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland Winter.
- Central and South Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Winter.
- Central and Southern Appalachian Montane Oak Forest Summer and winter.
- Central and Southern Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest Summer and winter.
- Central and Southern Appalachian Spruce-Fir Forest Summer and winter.
- Central Atlantic Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Winter.
- Central Interior Highlands Calcareous Glade and Barrens Summer.
- Central Interior Highlands Dry Acidic Glade and Barrens Summer.
- Cumberland Sandstone Glade and Barrens Summer and winter.
- East-Central Texas Plains Pine Forest and Woodland Winter.
- East-Central Texas Plains Post Oak Savanna and Woodland Winter.
- East-Central Texas Plains Riparian Forest Winter.
- Florida Peninsula Inland Scrub Winter.
- Lower Mississippi River Dune Woodland and Forest Winter.
- Lower Mississippi River Flatwoods Winter.
- Mississippi Delta Maritime Forest Winter.
- Mississippi River Alluvial Plain Dry-Mesic Loess Slope Forest Winter.
- Nashville Basin Limestone Glade Summer and winter.
- Northern Crowley's Ridge Sand Forest Summer.
- Ouachita Montane Oak Forest Winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland Winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Mesic Hardwood Forest Winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Riparian Winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Bluestem Woodland Winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest and Woodland Winter.
- Red River Large Floodplain Forest Winter.
- Ridge and Valley Calcareous Valley Bottom Glade and Woodland Summer and winter.
- South Florida Hardwood Hammock Winter.
- South Florida Pine Flatwoods Winter.
- South Florida Pine Rockland Winter.
- South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest Winter.
- South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian Winter.
- Southeast Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Winter.
- Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie Summer.
- Southeastern Interior Longleaf Pine Woodland Summer and winter.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest Summer and winter.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest Summer and winter.
- Southern Appalachian Low Mountain Pine Forest Winter.
- Southern Appalachian Montane Pine Forest and Woodland Summer and winter.
- Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Winter.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest Winter.
- Southern Piedmont Glade and Barrens Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Small Floodplain and Riparian Forest Winter.
- Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest Summer and winter.
- Southwest Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Winter.
Northeast (3)
- Central Appalachian Oak and Pine Forest Summer and winter.
- Central Appalachian Pine-Oak Rocky Woodland Summer and winter.
- Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer.
Midwest (6)
- North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest Summer.
- North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland Summer.
- North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland Summer.
- North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest Summer.
- North-Central Interior Oak Savanna Summer.
- North-Central Oak Barrens Summer.
Land cover and other classes (45)
- Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Hardwood Summer and winter.
- Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Pine Modifier Summer and winter.
- Arkansas Valley Prairie and Woodland Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-Line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Winter.
- Central Appalachian Riparian - Forest Modifier Winter.
- Central Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems Winter.
- Developed, Low Intensity Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Woodland Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Hardwood Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Hardwood Modifier Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Juniper Modifier Winter.
- Eastern Highland Rim Prairie and Barrens - Dry Modifier Summer and winter.
- Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Open Understory Modifier Winter.
- Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Winter.
- Harvested Forest - Grass/Forb Regeneration Summer and winter.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Annual Grassland Summer and winter.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Forbland Summer and winter.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland Summer and winter.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland and Forbland Summer and winter.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Shrub Summer and winter.
- Modified/Managed Southern Tall Grassland Summer and winter.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer and winter.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Virginia/Pitch Pine Modifier Summer and winter.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest-Hardwood Modifier Summer and winter.
- Recently Burned Summer and winter.
- Recently Burned Forest Summer and winter.
- Recently Burned Grassland Summer and winter.
- Recently Burned Shrubland Summer and winter.
- Recently Logged Areas Summer and winter.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest - Xeric Summer and winter.
- Southern Appalachian Grass and Shrub Bald - Shrub Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Hardwood Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Loblolly Pine Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-Heath Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Large Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Winter.
- Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest - Pine modifier Summer and winter.
- The model treats open patches, forest edges and extensive shrub cover differently.
Seasons in Mississippi
- Year-round: nests here, in all 82 counties.
Food plants
Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Plants matched by genus.
Native plants in these genera 7
- Common HackberryCeltis occidentalis
- Dwarf HackberryCeltis tenuifolia
- SugarberryCeltis laevigata
- American PersimmonDiospyros virginiana
- Poison SumacToxicodendron vernix
- Atlantic Poison-oakToxicodendron pubescens
- Poison-ivyToxicodendron radicans
Plant genera in its diet records (4)
- Celtis 4 diet records. 3 native plants in Mississippi
- Condalia 2 diet records. 0 native plants in Mississippi
- Diospyros 2 diet records. 1 native plant in Mississippi
- Toxicodendron 2 diet records. 3 native plants in Mississippi
Also found in its main habitats
Its main habitats in Mississippi, by how much of its habitat model each one is, with the birds most characteristic of each and the plants that grow wild there. Shared habitat, not food.
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Birds 129
- Cape May WarblerDendroica tigrina
- Grasshopper SparrowAmmodramus savannarum
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Long-eared OwlAsio otus
- Monk ParakeetMyiopsitta monachus
- Smith's LongspurCalcarius pictus
- Upland SandpiperBartramia longicauda
- Rock PigeonColumba livia
- Bronzed CowbirdMolothrus aeneus
- DickcisselSpiza americana
- Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostra
- Bell's VireoVireo bellii
Plants 1094
- Muck SunflowerHelianthus simulans
- Annual FleabaneErigeron annuus
- Canada LettuceLactuca canadensis
- Common Evening-primroseOenothera biennis
- Cutleaf Evening-primroseOenothera laciniata
- Dog-fennelEupatorium capillifolium
- Threadleaf SundropsOenothera linifolia
- Carolina Crane's-billGeranium carolinianum
- Carolina HorsenettleSolanum carolinense var. carolinense
- Blackeyed SusanRudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima
- Downy Ground-cherryPhysalis pubescens
- Gray Ground-cherryPhysalis grisea
All of roadsides, fields and disturbed ground in Mississippi
Forest edges and thickets
Birds 75
- VeeryCatharus fuscescens
- Bell's VireoVireo bellii
- Blue-winged WarblerVermivora pinus
- Chestnut-sided WarblerDendroica pensylvanica
- Golden-winged WarblerVermivora chrysoptera
- Magnolia WarblerDendroica magnolia
- Rufous HummingbirdSelasphorus rufus
- Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax traillii
- Alder FlycatcherEmpidonax alnorum
- American Tree SparrowSpizella arborea
- Black-billed CuckooCoccyzus erythropthalmus
- Buff-bellied HummingbirdAmazilia yucatanensis
Plants 172
- Rosinweed SunflowerHelianthus silphioides
- Southern DewberryRubus trivialis
- Buffalo CloverTrifolium reflexum
- Giant SunflowerHelianthus giganteus
- Cutleaf GoldenrodSolidago arguta
- Hairy GoldenrodSolidago hispida var. hispida
- Old Field AsterSymphyotrichum pilosum var. pilosum
- Hairy LettuceLactuca hirsuta
- Upland BonesetEupatorium sessilifolium
- Earleaf GreenbrierSmilax auriculata
- Creeping LespedezaLespedeza repens
- Matted CrowngrassPaspalum minus
Tree plantations and managed pine
Birds 66
- Evening GrosbeakCoccothraustes vespertinus
- Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostra
- Blue-winged WarblerVermivora pinus
- Cerulean WarblerDendroica cerulea
- Golden-winged WarblerVermivora chrysoptera
- Magnolia WarblerDendroica magnolia
- Yellow-throated VireoVireo flavifrons
- Alder FlycatcherEmpidonax alnorum
- Black-billed CuckooCoccyzus erythropthalmus
- Buff-bellied HummingbirdAmazilia yucatanensis
- House FinchCarpodacus mexicanus
- Pine WarblerDendroica pinus
Plants 1
- Loblolly PinePinus taeda
Sources
- USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models (2001)
- USGS GAP winter habitat model for Brown Thrasher Elevation sea level to 1,676 m
- USGS Gap Analysis Project range maps (2001), modeled by watershed; migratory gives no dates
- NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0), habitat names
- US Census TIGER/Line counties
- Names follow the USGS Gap Analysis Project (2001)
- Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab) (CC0 1.0), diet records by plant genus























































