Instructions
Look at the first thrasher you see in spring. The first one to arrive in spring is the male. It will claim the territory by choosing a perch. After choosing the perch, the male thrasher will start to sing while standing on the perch.
Look for the female brown thrasher to arrive about 10 days after the male thrasher arrives. You will know when the females arrive because the male brown thrasher will start singing very loudly to attract a female.
Look for males to walk around female brown thrashers in circles. The male tail feathers will be dragging on the ground. The male bird may bring the chirping female thrasher dead leaves. The female will flutter its wings while the male proudly walks around.
Watch the female as the male circles. In some cases, the female will pick up twigs and sticks to show willingness to mate with the male, and the nest-building starts shortly after.
How to Tell the Male From a Female Brown Thrasher
Although the male and female brown thrasher are similar in color, length and size, characteristics of the male and female will tell you which one is male and which is the female. Both the male and female are 9 to 12 inches long with long tails and pale brownish eyes. The upper body of the brown thrasher is brownish-reddish and the lower body is white with streaks of black. Thrashers have two white rings or bars on each wing.