Brown Thrasher: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Songbirds of the Americas · day 4 of 7

Five facts

1. The male may know more songs than any other North American bird: over 1,000 different songs have been recorded.
2. One thrasher dug a hole about 1.5 cm deep, set an acorn in it, then hammered it until it cracked. Scientists see this as tool use.
3. Its neck has more bones than a giraffe's or a camel's. This bendy neck helps it snap up fast-moving insects.
4. Its name likely comes from the thrashing noise it makes as it digs through dead leaves on the ground, not from fighting.
5. During courtship, the female picks up a twig or leaf and offers it to the male, flapping her wings and chirping.

The quiz

1. How many different songs have been recorded for the male brown thrasher?

• About 10
• About 50
• Over 1,000 (correct)
• Exactly 3

Over 1,000 songs have been documented, possibly the biggest repertoire of any North American bird.

2. What did one brown thrasher do to open an acorn?

• Dropped it from a great height
• Placed it in a small hole and hammered it (correct)
• Soaked it in water
• Gave it to a squirrel

It dug a hole, put the acorn in it and hit it until it cracked, a form of tool use.

3. The brown thrasher has more neck vertebrae than which animals?

• Giraffes and camels (correct)
• Owls and swans
• Snakes and eels
• No animal at all

Its neck vertebrae outnumber those of giraffes and camels, which helps it catch quick insects.

4. Where does the name 'thrasher' probably come from?

• Its habit of attacking intruders
• The colour of its feathers
• A famous explorer
• The noise it makes digging through ground debris (correct)

The name is thought to come from the thrashing sound it makes while digging through leaves, not from attacking.

5. During courtship, what does the female offer the male?

• A berry
• A beetle
• A twig or a leaf (correct)
• A shiny pebble

She grabs a twig or leaf and presents it to him, flapping her wings and chirping.

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