Unlike the other mimids, our breeding pair of Brown Thrashers skulks around 
utterly silently. Earlier in the season, the male sang for what seemed like 
only a couple of days after returning from migration. Previous years, same 
thing. Of course many species (e.g., crows) get very quiet during nesting 
season, but the catbirds in our yard sing constantly, and the neighborhood 
mockingbirds proclaim from the chimney-tops.

Did this thrasher hear no other males of his kind nearby, and therefore 
decide his territory was safe from rivals? Was he only singing until his 
mate showed up? What's typical for this species?

Janet Millenson
Potomac, MD (Montgomery County)

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"Look at the birds!" -- Pascal the parrot