Trashers on Defense in the Library!

Our road trip through the thirteen original colonies continues this month, but finding the Georgia State Bird, the Brown Thrasher, took a little bit of digging. There is no bird with that name included in Birds of America, but that is because when Audubon depicted it in the 1830s, it was identified as the Ferruginous Thrush (plate 116). The word thrasher is believed to be derived from thrush, which leads to some naming confusing. And "ferruginous" is not a standard color, but is used to describe something as rust-colored, a warm reddish-brown, like the male bird shown here (top center). 

In October, we try to share a print with a spooky connection, and this print fits the bill for that, too! In this print, a slithering snake is shown attacking the nest with a group of thrashers in defense mode. Though one might have fallen victim, the other three are putting up a fight, and the snake might be in trouble here. The Brown Thrasher is known as a territorial and aggressive bird that can fend off humans and large predators with a sharp curved bill that can draw blood. Be sure to visit us from October 6 through November 10 to see this dramatic print in person.

Catch up on our previous spooky Audubons here: Barn Owl, Raven, Common Crow Blackbird, and Vulture.

Elizabeth Roscio

Preservation Librarian