The brown thrasher is the state bird of Georgia, chosen by school children in 1928 and officially adopted by the state legislature in 1970. These birds have reddish-brown feathers, curved beaks, and a large range of songs. They migrate to northern states in the summer and live in the southeastern, northeastern, and midwestern states of the US and southern Canada. The scientific name, Toxostoma rufum, refers to their curved beak and reddish coloration.
The state bird of Georgia, a state in the southeastern United States, is the brown thrasher. It was originally bestowed this honor in the late 1920s, but didn’t become the official state bird until 1970. These birds can be identified by their reddish-brown feathers and curved beaks. Brown thrashers can be found not only in the Southeast, but also throughout the United States and parts of Canada.
Georgia school children selected the brown thrasher — scientific name Toxostoma rufum — as the state bird of Georgia in 1928. The idea later was sponsored by the Atlanta Bird Club and similar organizations after being promoted by the Fifth District of the State Federation of Women’s Clubs. After the idea gained momentum, it was proposed that the state legislature adopt the brown thrasher as a state bird, but the legislature did not act. The brown thrasher was designated the state bird in 1935 by Governor Eugene Talmadge. The idea of having the brown thrasher as Georgia’s state bird was then promoted much later by the Garden Clubs of Georgia and made official by the Georgia General Assembly, via Joint Resolution Number 128, in 1970.
As with many other bird species, brown thrashers that live in Georgia have an established migration pattern. In the summer months, they migrate to the northern states before returning to spend the winter months in the southern states. They live in the southeastern, northeastern and midwestern states of the United States, as well as in the southern part of Canada. These birds are not found on the west coast of the United States.
The brown thrasher female is smaller than the brown thrasher male. These birds often blend in with their surroundings due to their coloration. They are considered to have one of the largest ranges of songs and sounds of any songbird in the United States.
The official state bird of Georgia has distinctive coloration. The upper parts of its body are a light to medium brownish-red, while the lower part of its body is yellowish-white. It has dark brown spots on its underside and chest. The brown thrasher’s face is gray, while its eyes are yellowish-brown. It has a long, downward-curving beak that helps it hunt and catch insects.
The scientific name Toxostoma rufum comes from the Greek words toxon, which means “bow” and stoma, which means “mouth”. This is a reference to the brown thrasher’s curved beak. The word rufum is Latin for “reddish,” a reference to the bird’s coloration.
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