Sage Thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus)

Number of accepted Sage Thrasher records for Louisiana = 13 as of 25th Report of the LBRC (2022)


Accepted Records

One possible female (sex uncertain) (1963-03) on 26 June 1963, St. Bernard: Chandeleur Islands, North Island, B. Mac Myers III (LSUMZ 31813) and L. E. Williams, and Keith Arnold (*); Lowery 1974. This represents the only summer record of this species for the state. Myers recalls that the specimen appeared to be relatively fresh when found, but it was inexplicably eventually prepared as a skeleton (with questionable gonad data and a badly damaged skull).

One (1964-04) on 8 Nov 1964, Cameron: 3 mi. W of Cameron; S. A. Gauthreaux (card), B. Palmisano, J. Cracraft (LSUMZ 33859); reported in AFN19(1):47 as the sixth Louisiana record.

One (1979-13; formerly 84-25) was well-photographed in New Orleans, Orleans Parish, on 27-28 October 1979 (Joseph P. Kennedy, B. Mac Myers III, David N. Pashley).

One (82-35) at Hackberry Ridge, Cameron Parish on 4 December 1982 (Jon Dunn*; Van Remsen, Gary Rosenberg).

One (96-65) on 21-22 Dec 1996, Cameron: just W of Hwy. 27 near intersection with Magnolia Road [N of Holly Beach]; Phillip Wallace (ph taken 21 Dec), Curtis Sorrells, William R. Fontenot, and Laurence C. Binford; FN 51(2): 683, FN 51(3): 760.

One (2001-53) from 27-28 Oct 2001, Cameron: Hackberry Ridge, 2 mi. WSW of Johnsons Bayou School; Beth H. and Lyndel Willis (ph), David P. Muth (ph), Steven W. Cardiff (ph only), Cecil C. Kersting, and Malcolm Mark Swan [ph only, in NAB56(1):63].

Photo by Dan Purrington

One (2004-49) from 14-22 February 2004, DeSoto: Mansfield (residence of Velda and John Neilson); Rosemary Seidler (ph), James L. Ingold (banded, band no. 1861-81098, ph), Hubert Hervey (ph), and Kreg Ellzey (ph only); NAB58(2):242.

Photo by Rosemary Seidler

One male (2004-61) on 5 November 2004, Cameron: 4 mi. W of old mouth Mermentau River (Rutherford Beach); Steven W. Cardiff (LSUMZ 177875) and Donna L. Dittmann (*); NAB59(1):93.

One (2010-033; erroneously published as 2010-39) on 22-23 October 2010, Cameron: Sabine National Wildlife Refuge, Blue Goose Trail; Matthew T. Pontiff (ph only), Thomas Finnie (ph), Mary Mehaffey (ph), Thomas Maddox (ph), and Devin Bosler (ph); found by Robby Bacon.

Photo by Tom Finnie

One (2010-45) on 30 October 2010, Cameron: Hackberry Ridge, 2 mi. WSW of Johnsons Bayou School; Paul E. Conover (ph).

Photo by Paul E. Conover

One (2018-027) on 4 March 2018, Calcasieu: Ellis Moss Rd.; Vicki Sensat (ph).

Photo by Vicki Sensat

One (2018-070) on 10 November 2018, Orleans: New Orleans, South Point; Peter H. Yaukey (notes and sketch).

Sketch by Peter Yaukey

One (2021-072) on 6 November 2021, Cameron: Willow Island, 7 mi. E Cameron; James Smithers (ph).

Photo by James Smithers

One (2023-065) on 22-26 October 2023, St. Tammany: Madisonville, 1999 Main St., T's Bar and Grill; Claire Thomas (ph), Esme Rosen (ph), Christine Kooi (ph), Kathy Rhodes (ph), Andrew From (ph), David P. Muth (ph), and Shae Freeman (ph).

Photo by Claire Thomas

Unaccepted Records

One adult (1994-076) on 5 November 1994, Cameron: Sabine NWR nature trail. This record just barely received a majority negative vote following the second circulation. Most Members believed that this species was probably seen, but the details were written well after the observation and after additional individuals of this species had been observed on a trip to the western USA, and parts of the description seemed incompatible for the species (e.g., �rich, dark brown back�).