NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
LeConte's Thrasher
Toxostoma lecontei Lawrence, 1851
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
LeConte's thrasher (Toxostoma lecontei) is a pale bird found in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. It prefers to live in deserts with very little vegetation, where it blends in with the sandy soils. LeConte's thrashers are nonmigratory birds that reside in the same territory annually. Although the species has been decreasing in certain areas of its range, in particular California, it still is abundant enough to not be considered for vulnerable status.
These birds are terrestrial and only fly occasionally. Both sexes are heavily involved in the nest building, incubating, and brooding process, though each alternates with primary responsibility of the tasks. LeConte's thrashers frequently compete with species such as the northern mockingbird, loggerhead shrike and greater roadrunner, as well as being potential prey for the latter.
Wikipedia contributors, LeConte's thrasher; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T07:14:20.865822+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Toxostoma lecontei Lawrence, 1851
- Name authority
- Lawrence, 1851
- Common name
- LeConte's Thrasher
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Mimidae
- Genus
- Toxostoma
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classAves
- orderPasseriformes
- familyMimidae Bonaparte, 1853
- genusToxostoma Wagler, 1831
- speciesToxostoma lecontei Lawrence, 1851
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Toxostoma. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Gray ThrasherToxostoma cinereum (J. Xántus, 1860) | MimidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Cozumel ThrasherToxostoma guttatum (Ridgway, 1885) | MimidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| California ThrasherToxostoma redivivum (Gambel, 1845) | MimidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Brown ThrasherToxostoma rufum (Linnaeus, 1758) | MimidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Bendire's ThrasherToxostoma bendirei (Coues, 1873) | MimidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Crissal ThrasherToxostoma crissale Henry, 1858 | MimidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Curve-billed ThrasherToxostoma curvirostre (Swainson, 1827) | MimidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Long-billed ThrasherToxostoma longirostre (Lafresnaye, 1838) | MimidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Ocellated ThrasherToxostoma ocellatum (P. L. Sclater, 1862) | MimidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
North America
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- Lawrence, & George Newbold. (1851). Descriptions of New Species of Birds, of the Genera Toxostoma Wagler, Tyrannula Swainson, and Plectrophanes Meyer. Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History of New York, Vol. 5. Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:57MNW. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.