Mockingbirds, thrashers, and catbirds represent a distinctive group of Mimidae in Arizona, known for their complex songs and often secretive habits. The Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) is the most widespread, thriving in both urban areas and desert scrub. Its remarkable ability to mimic the calls of other birds, animals, and even mechanical noises makes it one of the most conspicuous songsters in the state.
Thrashers are particularly well represented in Arizona’s arid landscapes. The Curve-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre), with its loud “wit-weet” call and long decurved bill, is the most abundant, often found in desert neighborhoods as well as natural cactus habitats. The Bendire’s Thrasher (Toxostoma bendirei) and Crissal Thrasher (Toxostoma crissale) are more localized, the former favoring desert grasslands and the latter skulking in dense mesquite thickets where it is often heard rather than seen. LeConte’s Thrasher (Toxostoma lecontei), a pale desert specialist, occurs in the hottest, driest parts of southwestern Arizona, while the California Thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum) barely enters the state, restricted to brushy habitats in far western Arizona. The Sage Thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus), smaller and shorter-billed than its relatives, is mainly a winter visitor or migrant, though it breeds in sagebrush farther north.
The Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis), though far less common, occasionally appears in riparian thickets and migrant traps during migration. Recognizable by its mewing call and overall slate-gray plumage with a black cap and chestnut undertail coverts, it represents the eastern counterpart of this family’s diversity.