Sage Thrasher

Oreoscoptes montanus

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Habitat

Status

Endangered (Federal)
Red List (Provincial)

Description

Slightly smaller than a robin. Longish, slightly down-curved bill. Grey-brown upperparts. Dark brown spots and streaking on creamy-white underparts. Longish tail with white corner patches. Yellow eyes and brown moustache stripes.

Sage Thrashers will only nest in large open areas of shrub-steppe habitat. They prefer sagebrush steppe but also will nest in antelope-brush shrub-steppe. They require brush height of at least 1m.
Sage Thrashers are only found in the extreme southern Okanagan and Similkameen valleys. They winter in the Southern US and Mexico.

Threats

-Habitat loss due to agriculture and development
-Invasive plants reducing habitat quality
-Intensive livestock grazing
-Excessive road and trail construction
-Tree encroachment into grasslands and open areas

You Can Help!

-Conserve and protect wildlife habitat
-Practice responsible recreation when ATVing, dirtbiking, hiking, etc.
-Control invasive plants and reduce soil disturbance to prevent invasive plants from establishing
-Protect areas with large mature patches of big sagebrush