Bird
Brown Thrasher
Toxostoma rufum
Lives in Virginia all year and nests here. Found in all 133 counties and cities, across 18 habitats.
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 133 counties and cities
- Habitats
- 18
At a glance
- Group
- Birds
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 133 counties and cities
- Habitats
- 18
- Habitat models
- Summer, Winter
Where it lives
The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.
Habitats in Virginia 18
Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.
1 of 18
Granite and other acidic rock outcrops
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Streams, rivers and their banks
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.
Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.
Glades, barrens and outcrops on limestone
Open, thin-soil openings and rock on limestone, dolomite or other lime-rich rock, including cedar glades.
Salt-pruned forests and shrub thickets behind coastal dunes.
Forests between dry and moist, often oak-hickory on slopes.
Treeless grassy or shrubby summits and ridges in the high mountains.
High mountain forests of beech, yellow birch and sugar maple, including boulderfield forests.
Flat, sandy Coastal Plain pine woodlands, wetter than sandhills and denser than savannas.
Open, fire-kept longleaf pine stands over grasses and wildflowers on wet to moist sandy soil.
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 (87)
Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Virginia. Those recorded in Virginia first, the rest by region.
In Virginia 2
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland Winter.
- Southern Piedmont Glade and Barrens Summer and winter.
Elsewhere in the South (42)
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Maritime Forest Winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Wet Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Winter.
- Central and South Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Winter.
- Central Interior Highlands Calcareous Glade and Barrens Summer.
- Central Interior Highlands Dry Acidic Glade and Barrens Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Limestone Forest Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Maritime Forest Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Bluff Forest Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Mesic Hardwood Forest Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Loess Bluff Forest Winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Mesic Slope Forest 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.
- Mississippi River Riparian 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.
- South Florida Hardwood Hammock Winter.
- South Florida Pine Flatwoods Winter.
- South Florida Pine Rockland Winter.
- Southeast Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Winter.
- Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie Summer.
- Southeastern Interior Longleaf Pine Woodland Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Oak Dome and Hammock Winter.
- Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Winter.
- Southwest Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Winter.
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 (37)
- Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Pine Modifier Summer and winter.
- Arkansas Valley Prairie and Woodland Summer.
- 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.
- 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.
- Mississippi River Floodplain and Riparian Forest 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 Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-Heath Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer and 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 Virginia
- Year-round: nests here, in 45 of 133 counties and cities.
- Summer: nests here, in 104 of 133 counties and cities.
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 pumila
- SugarberryCeltis laevigata
- American PersimmonDiospyros virginiana
- Poison SumacToxicodendron vernix
- Western Poison IvyToxicodendron rydbergii
- Atlantic Poison-oakToxicodendron pubescens
Plant genera in its diet records (4)
- Celtis 4 diet records. 3 native plants in Virginia
- Condalia 2 diet records. 0 native plants in Virginia
- Diospyros 2 diet records. 1 native plant in Virginia
- Toxicodendron 2 diet records. 3 native plants in Virginia
Also found in its main habitats
Its main habitats in Virginia, 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.
Brown Thrasher uses many habitats in Virginia; these are its 3 most characteristic.
Dry forests and woodlands
Birds 60
- Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostra
- Pine WarblerDendroica pinus
- Brown-headed NuthatchSitta pusilla
- Blackburnian WarblerDendroica fusca
- Brewer's BlackbirdEuphagus cyanocephalus
- Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis
- Blue-headed VireoVireo solitarius
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- White-winged CrossbillLoxia leucoptera
- Yellow-throated WarblerDendroica dominica
- Black-throated Blue WarblerDendroica caerulescens
- Canada WarblerWilsonia canadensis
Plants 230
- American ChestnutCastanea dentata
- Eastern Winged SumacRhus copallinum var. latifolia
- Godfrey's ThoroughwortEupatorium godfreyanum
- White ThoroughwortEupatorium album
- Sessileleaf Tick-trefoilDesmodium sessilifolium
- Leavenworth's SedgeCarex leavenworthii
- Southern Whitetinge SedgeCarex albicans var. australis
- Southern LoosestrifeSteironema tonsum
- Carolina LilyLilium michauxii
- Tall BellflowerCampanulastrum americanum
- Bigleaf SnowbellStyrax grandifolius
- Delicate Rabbit-tobaccoPseudognaphalium micradenium
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Birds 89
- Cape May WarblerDendroica tigrina
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Monk ParakeetMyiopsitta monachus
- Upland SandpiperBartramia longicauda
- DickcisselSpiza americana
- Grasshopper SparrowAmmodramus savannarum
- Hoary RedpollCarduelis hornemanni
- BobolinkDolichonyx oryzivorus
- House FinchCarpodacus mexicanus
- Rock PigeonColumba livia
- Vesper SparrowPooecetes gramineus
- Yellow-throated VireoVireo flavifrons
Plants 1283
- Pussy WillowSalix discolor
- Crooked-stem AsterSymphyotrichum prenanthoides
- Long Stalk AsterSymphyotrichum dumosum var. dumosum
- Canada LettuceLactuca canadensis
- Common HorseweedErigeron canadensis
- Annual FleabaneErigeron annuus
- Hairy FleabaneErigeron bonariensis
- Dog-fennelEupatorium capillifolium
- Carolina Crane's-billGeranium carolinianum
- Common Evening-primroseOenothera biennis
- Cutleaf Evening-primroseOenothera laciniata
- Northern Evening-primroseOenothera parviflora
Moist forests
Birds 45
- Blackburnian WarblerDendroica fusca
- Blue-headed VireoVireo solitarius
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Black-throated Blue WarblerDendroica caerulescens
- Canada WarblerWilsonia canadensis
- Cerulean WarblerDendroica cerulea
- OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapilla
- Black-throated Green WarblerDendroica virens
- Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus
- Brown-headed CowbirdMolothrus ater
- Chuck-will's-widowCaprimulgus carolinensis
- Evening GrosbeakCoccothraustes vespertinus
Plants 363
- Gorge GoldenrodSolidago faucibus
- Mountain HollyIlex montana
- Smooth Blue AsterSymphyotrichum laeve
- Appalachian SnakerootAgeratina roanensis
- Sweet Scented Joe Pye WeedEutrochium purpureum var. purpureum
- Common Sweet White VioletViola incognita
- Fewflower Tick-trefoilHylodesmum pauciflorum
- Bigleaf MagnoliaMagnolia macrophylla
- Umbrella MagnoliaMagnolia tripetala
- Smooth Carrion-flowerSmilax herbacea
- Pointedleaf Tick-trefoilHylodesmum glutinosum
- Blue Ridge Hedge-nettleStachys subcordata
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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