Brown thrasher nest

While working in an open savanna area I flushed a brown thrasher off its nest. I followed the line of flight back to the ground and found, among a small patch of false solomon's seal, a nest with two babies. With their mouths wide open, these babies were obviously hungry, so I quickly left the area so that the parent could return.

Brown thrasher nest among Maianthemum racemosum

Brown thrashers are fairly common in our restored savannas, and I have flushed them before. One of the "joys" of controlling buckthorn and other invasive shrubs is that it gets you into areas where these birds nest.

Although not endangered, current Breeding Bird Survey data indicate persistent declines statewide. According to the Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative, this species benefits from areas that are burned annually, since that keeps the shrub component small. Since our management plan calls for annual burns we are obviously doing right for this species.