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thrasher

1 9.1

A medium-sized songbird that often copies other birds' songs

noun
/ˈθræʃər/

Specialized

: tordo imitador

Later she finds out they're a kind of thrasher or catbird.
brown thrasher
mockingbirds and thrashers

Examples

The Brown thrasher can sing up to 2,000 different songs and may be the champion mimic in North America.
In a nearby thicket, a brown thrasher repeated its rich, clear notes.
In North America, mockingbirds, thrashers, and catbirds are all in the family Mimidae, so named because of their skills at mimicking other species.

Synonyms

mocking thrush

vsthrasher

8.1

A small songbird that copies the songs and calls of other birds

is the family term covering many similar species rather than a single one

Toxostoma rufum

vsthrasher

Specialized

9.9

A large reddish-brown songbird of eastern North America

is the broader family label rather than a specific scientific name

brown thrush

vsthrasher

5.3

A large brown songbird from the eastern United States that sings and copies other birds

is the wider family term covering this bird and similar ones

brown thrasher

vsthrasher

7.3

A large brown bird that sings in eastern North America with a long tail and streaked chest

is the family term used for many related species and not just that one

Compounds

brown thrasher

7.3

A large brown bird that sings in eastern North America with a long tail and streaked chest

Surface Forms

thrasher singular

thrashers plural

Morphology

thrasher = thrash (semi-transparent) = thrash + er

The bird name appears to be based on the verb 'thrash', but the specific animal sense is conventionalized and not fully predictable for learners.

Etymology

The word thrasher for the bird comes from the verb thrash, because the bird 'thrashes' through leaves to find insects and food, which is why the name fits its busy search for food.