Song Thrush v's Mistle Thrush (2 Viewers)

[Peewit]

I am wondering if there is a good technique of telling the difference between a Song Thrush and a Mistle Thrush.

We have both in out garden, as I hear their singing closeby on a daily basis. I can tell the 2 apart this way.

Visually, I have always struggled with these 2 everywhere I have moved too over the passed few years. :-C

Has anyone else had the same problem? :-O

Peewit

 

[Al livsey]

Hello Peewit.
I find the biggest differences between Mistle and Song thrushes are:
Song thrush is smaller, short tail, with 'arrows' on its breast.
Mistle thrush is slightly larger, longer tail, with 'spots' on it's breast.
The more i've studied them, the easier they've become.
Marsh tit and Willow tit - that's what i struggle with.

Alan.

 

[rob stoff]

Song has rather plain wings and Mistle has heavily patterned wings amongst other things but this is a good short cut:

http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=136819

http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=150188

Rob

 

[bitterntwisted]

I put my tips in this thread: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=88680&highlight=mistle+song And others added several more.

One that got missed is that although Mistle Thrush has a larger body it has the same size head which makes it appear small-headed.

Graham

 

[Peewit]

I put my tips in this thread: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=88680&highlight=mistle+song And others added several more.

One that got missed is that although Mistle Thrush has a larger body it has the same size head which makes it appear small-headed.

Graham

Thank you Bitterntwisted (love your name!), rob stoff and Al for all the information, and the links to other threads. It has helped to clear up the confusion here. I did not realize it had been debated already on other threads, but there are lots of threads here so I over looked it! :t:

I definitely saw the Song Thrush this morning scuttling about our garden bushes. It is becoming quite brave about using the feeders in our garden. It is a lot more skittish than the blackbirds, and it is easily chased off by the Starlings. :-O

obestevens: (other thread) mentioned the birds manner in which it moves comes into it too. This bird was scuttling around the bushes a lot. It also did not have such an upright stance. It has a short tail too. :-O

Thanks guys for your help, so now I will practice, practice now

Peewit