The Brown Thrasher is a conspicuous inhabitant of shrubby edges, deciduous forest edges, and clearings along the southern edge of Canada, from Alberta to Quebec and increasingly in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The Breeding Bird Survey suggests a moderate decrease in numbers since about 1970. Habitat loss and degradation are thought to be the most important causes of its decline (Cavitt and Haas 2014). This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.
The Brown Thrasher's decline, as with many shrub-dependent species, is thought to be due to habitat loss and degradation on both the breeding and wintering grounds. More specifically, succession and maturation of shrubs and thickets in eastern forests, and the loss of woody roadsides, shelterbelts, and hedgerows as a result of land use changes and the increased mechanization of agriculture in the western part of its range, have all reduced the quality of available habitat (Cavitt and Haas 2014). Development and urbanization have also caused fragmentation and the loss of suitable breeding and wintering habitat throughout its range (Cavitt and Haas 2014).
Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:
Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.