Bird field guide · Mockingbirds and Thrashers

Photographing the California Thrasher

How to photograph the California Thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum): the right lens for its size, shutter speeds for perched and moving animals, and when it's most often seen (January, March and April).

20–30 cm1/2500–1/3200 s
California Thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum)
Photo: © Pat Farris, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Pat Farris via iNaturalist
20–30 cm
Typical length (family range)
1/800 s
Shutter: perched / still
1/2500–1/3200 s
Shutter: action / flight
f/5.6–f/7.1
Aperture
14,340
Research-grade sightings in N. America
ModeManual + Auto ISOLock shutter & aperture, let ISO float
Shutter (still)1/800 s
Shutter (action)1/2500–1/3200 s
Aperturef/5.6–f/7.1
FocusAF-C + subject/eye detectionBird-eye AF with continuous focus (AF-C/AI Servo); fill at least a third of the frame.
DriveHigh-speed burst
Lens400–600 mmFull-frame equivalent

Focal length needed to frame it#

For a subject about 25 cm long filling a third or half of the frame width horizontally.

Distance⅓ of frame (FF)½ of frame (FF)⅓ of frame (APS-C)⅓ of frame (MFT)
5 m (16 ft)227 mm336 mm151 mm113 mm
10 m (33 ft)454 mm672 mm302 mm227 mm
15 m (49 ft)680 mm1,007 mm454 mm340 mm
20 m (66 ft)907 mm1,343 mm605 mm454 mm
30 m (98 ft)1,361 mm2,015 mm907 mm680 mm
50 m (164 ft)2,268 mm3,358 mm1,512 mm1,134 mm

When to find it#

Jan: 11% Jan Feb: 10% Feb Mar: 11% Mar Apr: 14% Apr May: 10% May Jun: 6% Jun Jul: 4% Jul Aug: 6% Aug Sep: 10% Sep Oct: 6% Oct Nov: 5% Nov Dec: 7% Dec
Share of iNaturalist observations by month across North America. Peak months: January, March and April.

About the California Thrasher#

The California thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum) is a large thrasher found primarily in chaparral habitat in California and Baja California. Similar to the crissal and Le Conte's thrashers in habit, the California thrasher is the only species of Toxostoma throughout most of its limited range. Like most thrashers, it rarely flies in the open, preferring to keep hidden in dense brush.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia via iNaturalist (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Field-craft tips#

  • Singing males claim conspicuous perches.
  • Bird-eye AF with continuous focus (AF-C/AI Servo); fill at least a third of the frame.
  • Sightings peak in January, March and April, which is when you'll have the most chances.

Ethics#

  • The welfare of the animal comes first: if it changes its behaviour because of you, you are too close.
  • Stay on trails, respect closures around nests, leks, dens and haul-outs.
  • Avoid playback and baiting in sensitive seasons; never bait predators.
  • Don't share precise locations of rare, nesting or roosting animals publicly.

More Mockingbirds and Thrashers#

Northern Mockingbird Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottos Gray Catbird Gray CatbirdDumetella carolinensis Brown Thrasher Brown ThrasherToxostoma rufum Curve-billed Thrasher Curve-billed ThrasherToxostoma curvirostre Tropical Mockingbird Tropical MockingbirdMimus gilvus

Frequently asked questions#

What lens do I need to photograph a California Thrasher?

At about 25 cm long, a california thrasher fills a third of a full-frame image at 10 m with roughly 454 mm, or at 20 m with 907 mm.

What shutter speed should I use for a California Thrasher?

1/800 s when it's still; 1/2500–1/3200 s for action.

When is the best time to photograph a California Thrasher?

Observations in North America peak in January, March and April. Early morning and late afternoon give the best light and activity.

Sources & licences#

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources