Curve-Billed Thrasher
By Dave Hanks
I’m brown - like the color of dirt. It’s not very exciting to be brown,but it’s more secure - Because I blend in well against the ground, or old, withered foliage. But sometimes, brown can be attractive - So maybe brown is not so bad.
In fact, my streaked breast, distinctive bill, and bright yellow eye give me a pleasing appearance. I’m big for a songbird (11 inches), and that of itself, along with my long tail adds to my allure. You will see me, mostly, close to the ground where I like to feed because I blend in so well. But that doesn’t stop me from finding a perch and singing my elaborate songs of low trills, warbles, and a sharp whit-wheet. In the mornings, my melodic singing wafts on the desert air.
Sometimes, strange creatures come into my habitat in strange contraptions that roll along the roads and make a lot of noise. At times those moving things have houses on them and they stop and sit for several days. They are a little hard to get used to, but that’s all right. Once a man and woman came and stayed and that made me a bit leery, but they did put out good things to eat, and I was able to creep in to eat the food when no one seemed to be around. The man kept sneaking around with a big long thing that he kept aiming at me, but I become bolder because he didn’t seem to want to harm me. He put up a small tent-like thing. I think he sat in it, but I can’t be certain. Otherwise, everything seemed safe enough and so I could go ahead and get on with my life.
I did appreciate the banquet that was set out though.
(A Curve-Billed Thrasher in our campground)
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