Crissal Thrasher
Toxostoma crissale
Thess shy, secretive birds live in the desert south-west and northern Mexico. They prefer mesquite thickets as their habitat. Desert washes in the Southwestern USA, from Southeastern California to West Texas and Central Mexico host this thrasher. Like the roadrunners it shares most of its range, the Crissal Thrasher prefers running to flying when navigating its territory. Despite its cousin, the Long-Billed Thrasher’s name, both the Crissal and the California Thrasher sport much longer bills. They use their bills like rakes, thrashing the undergrowth in search of insect and spiders, but will take seeds and fruit if the opportunity presents itself.
The Crissal Thrasher has long been a nemesis bird for me. Though I’ve attempted in California to collect images, it took a trip to Henderson Nevada to get my first recognisable shots. I don’t consider these as successful. I managed better images while in New Mexico and again in Arizona.

Crissal Thrasher(Recurvirostra americana) |
Description: Henderson, Nevada outside of Las Vegas at the "Bird Viewing Preserve". |
Date Taken: 2015:05:05 10:52 |
Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: D3X9027-CrissalThrasher |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Crissal Thrasher(Recurvirostra americana) |
Description: Henderson, Nevada outside of Las Vegas at the "Bird Viewing Preserve". |
Date Taken: 2015:05:05 10:56 |
Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X9034-CrissalThrasher |
© 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |


Crissal Thrasher(Recurvirostra americana) |
Description: Capturing satisfying images of these birds is alway a challenge for me. These were at Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park, near Las Cruces New Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:29 10:18 |
Location:
Mesilla Valley |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/8000 |
File Name: CrissalThrasher_D5X1945-MesillaValley |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Crissal Thrasher(Recurvirostra americana) |
Description: Capturing satisfying images of these birds is alway a challenge for me. These were at Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park, near Las Cruces New Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:29 10:18 |
Location:
Mesilla Valley |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/8000 |
File Name: CrissalThrasher_D5X1942-MesillaValley |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Crissal Thrasher(Recurvirostra americana) |
Description: Capturing satisfying images of these birds is alway a challenge for me. These were at Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park, near Las Cruces New Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:29 9:35 |
Location:
Mesilla Valley |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/8000 |
File Name: CrissalThrasher_D5X1896-MesillaValley |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Crissal Thrasher(Recurvirostra americana) |
Description: Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:29 12:38 |
Location:
Granite Well |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: CrissalThrasher_D5X0903 |
© 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Crissal Thrasher(Recurvirostra americana) |
Description: This view is typical of how I meet this species. Capturing satisfying images of these birds is alway a challenge for me. These were at Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park, near Las Cruces New Mexico. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:29 10:21 |
Location:
Mesilla Valley |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/8000 |
File Name: CrissalThrasher_D5X1950-MesillaValley |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Crissal Thrasher(Recurvirostra americana) |
Description: It compelled me to fetch my camera gear when I discovered these thrashers on the property. Birding during a Thanksgiving visit to a friend's home on Cottonwood Wash, outside of Pima Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:26 14:58 |
Location:
Cottonwood Wash |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: CrissalThrasher_D5X1425-PimaArizona |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |


Crissal Thrasher(Recurvirostra americana) |
Description: It compelled me to fetch my camera gear when I discovered these thrashers on the property. Birding during a Thanksgiving visit to a friend's home on Cottonwood Wash, outside of Pima Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:26 15:19 |
Location:
Cottonwood Wash |
Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/800 |
File Name: CrissalThrasher_D5X1547-PimaArizona |
© 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |

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