Birds placed in this genus measure from in length. The tail is straight and quite long, as much or more than the body. As in the mulattoes and the mockingbirds, the bill is curved downwards, and is generally long, although it varies according to the species. Its plumage is opaque, brownish or greyish, with darker wings and tail. On the wings there are usually stripes of a lighter shade. The feathers on the throat, chest and belly are usually light (white or greyish) and in most species these parts of the body have dark spots. The eyes can be yellow, orange or reddish. They generally feed on insects, but also on fruits, seeds, worms, molluscs and, occasionally, small reptiles. Most are songbirds that make musical sounds, and are therefore prized as cage birds. Some species are partial migrants and in summer move to the south of their nesting area. They prefer desert or semi-desert habitats and areas of shrubby vegetation; some species inhabit forests, and only one, the
Cozumel thrasher, is tropical. ==Species==