Birds of North Carolina
their Distribution and Abundance
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
 Family (Alpha):
MIMIDAE Members: Sage Thrasher 424
General Comments
This is a thrasher of the Western states, the only member of the genus Oreoscoptes, and thus quite different from the many thrashers in the genus Toxostoma, which are larger with longer tails. Also, it is strongly migratory, and thus there are quite a few records from the Eastern states, and North Carolina has a few such records. As of spring 2025, there are four reports.
Breeding Status
Nonbreeder
NC BRC List
Definitive
State Status
none
U.S. Status
Definitive
State Rank
SA
Global Rank
G4
Coastal Plain
Accidental to casual. There are two accepted records, plus a third in 2025 that has not yet been reviewed by the NC BRC. The first was a sight record at Bodie Island (Dare) on 5 Oct 1965* (Chat 41:49-50); the second was an adult male collected at Woodlake (Moore) on 19 Sep 1973* (Chat 38:92), (Chat 41:49). Lastly, the first spring report for the state was one photographed at Fort Fisher (New Hanover) on 13 Mar 2025 (Chat 89:125).
Piedmont
No records.
Mountain
One record. One was seen and photographed at the Warren Wilson College campus (Buncombe) from 31 Oct - 6 Nov 2015* (Chat 80:15), (Chat 80:45). Numerous photographs of this last individual are on the Carolina Bird Club Photo Gallery.
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