Brown Thrasher

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Dr. T. M. BREWER writes me as follows:--"Your account of the habits of the Brown Thrash does not leave me any thing to add. I will therefore only trouble you with the following test of the ability of this bird to detect the intrusion of eggs not belonging to it. I found this summer, 1837, a nest containing three eggs, which I removed, leaving in their place three Robin's eggs, and retired to wait the issue. In a few moments the female approached, gave the contents of the nest a hasty survey, and immediately flew off. She returned in a short time in company with her mate, and both flew to the nest apparently in the greatest rage, took each an egg in their claws, and dashed it against the ground at the distance of more than a rod from the nest, the female repeating the same to the other egg. This done, they continued for some time to vent their rage on the broken eggs, tossing them about, and at the same time manifesting their displeasure in every possible way. They afterwards forsook the nest. The eggs measure an inch and an eighth in length, six and a half eighths in breadth. They never raise more than one brood in a season here."

http://www.50states.com/bird/brthrash.htm

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Our largest and shiest mimid with beautiful yellow eyes; has an estimated 3,000 or more song types, more than mockingbird; being the largest of any North American bird's (Birds of Forest, Yard, & Thicket by John Eastman (Author), Amelia Hansen (Illustrator). Stackpole Books; 1st edition (February 1997), p.182).