Bird field guide · Mockingbirds and Thrashers

Photographing the Curve-billed Thrasher

How to photograph the Curve-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre): the right lens for its size, shutter speeds for perched and moving animals, and when it's most often seen (April).

20–30 cm1/2500–1/3200 s
Curve-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre)
Photo: no rights reserved 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
34,119
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: 8% Jan Feb: 9% Feb Mar: 11% Mar Apr: 17% Apr May: 11% May Jun: 7% Jun Jul: 7% Jul Aug: 6% Aug Sep: 6% Sep Oct: 5% Oct Nov: 6% Nov Dec: 6% Dec
Share of iNaturalist observations by month across North America. Peak months: April.

About the Curve-billed Thrasher#

The curve-billed thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre) is a medium-sized mimid that is a member of the genus Toxostoma, native to the southwestern United States and much of Mexico. Referred to as the default desert bird, it is a non-migratory species. Several subspecies have been classified since 1827, though there is no consensus on the number.

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 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 California Thrasher California ThrasherToxostoma redivivum Tropical Mockingbird Tropical MockingbirdMimus gilvus

Frequently asked questions#

What lens do I need to photograph a Curve-billed Thrasher?

At about 25 cm long, a curve-billed 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 Curve-billed Thrasher?

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

When is the best time to photograph a Curve-billed Thrasher?

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

Sources & licences#

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