• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Alabama Ornithological Society

Alabama Ornithological Society

Founded in 1952 to foster a greater knowledge of birds and to promote conservation of all natural resources

  • About Us
    • AOS Officers 2003 to Present
    • AOS Committees
    • History
    • Minutes
    • Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
  • Join/Renew
    • Join/Renew
    • Giving
  • Our Work
    • eBird Project
    • Alabama Bird Records Committee
    • Breeding Bird Atlas
    • AOS Slide Collection
  • Publications
    • Alabama Birdlife
    • The Yellowhammer
    • A Birder’s Guide to Alabama
    • AOS Video Channel
  • Grants
  • AL Birding
    • AOS Local Field Trips Program
    • New and Improved AL Birds (Discussion Group)
    • Alabama Birding Trails
    • Blakeley Island
    • Dauphin Island
    • Checklist of Alabama Birds
    • Weather Websites
    • Pelagic Birding
      • Pelagic Birding
      • Potential Pelagic Species
      • Annotated Alabama Record Pelagic List
  • Spring 2026
  • Show Search
Hide Search

Observations on a Captive Brown Thrasher

Published in 1975

On July 18, 1972, a young fledged Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) was given
to me by a University of Montevallo student, Mr. Jack Burgstresser. The previous day, when Mr. Burgstresser parked his car in front of his home on a residential street in Montevallo, the bird had flown from an oak tree and alighted on the top of the car. The bird then hopped onto Mr. Burgstresser’s shoulder and remained there as he walked into his house. The complete tameness of this bird was its most singular characteristic. Neither Mr. Burgstresser nor I was able to locate anyone in the area who had reared a Brown Thrasher nestling.


Author: Dr. Eugene B. Sledge
Volume Number: 23 Year Published: 1975
Issue Number: 1-2
Page Number: 9

Link to article: http://birdlife.aosbirds.org/1975/Vol 23 No. 1, 2 1975_p9-13.pdf
Link to the full issue of BirdLife: http://birdlife.aosbirds.org/1975/Vol 23 No. 1, 2 1975.pdf
[divider]

Published on:
January 19, 2018

Footer

Alabama Ornithological Society

Copyright © 2026