- Turdus viscivorus
Identification
Adult: Grey brown back, dark eye in plain face. Spots are round, and have an irregular pattern. Juvenile: Similar to adult, but more 'scaly' in appearance on the upperparts.
Similar Species
Song Thrush is smaller, has warmer brown upperparts, and 'arrow-shaped' spots.
Juveniles with their scaly plumage are sometimes mistaken for White's Thrush, but are not so markedly scaly, and lack the bold black underwing stripe shown by White's.
Distribution
A common and widespread species in Europe, western Asia and northwest Africa.
Breeds in the British Isles, France and Iberia east across Europe to the Urals. Breeds in south-east Norway and in much of lowland Sweden and Finland and in Russia north to the White Sea. In the south breeds patchily in north Mediterranean countries and on Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily. Also breeds parts of Turkey and the Caucasus, in the Atlas Mountains of northwest Africa, and possibly regularly on Madeira.
Migratory in northern Scandinavia and from Poland eastwards, remainder of range varies from sedentary to partial migrant. Most migrants winter within range of more southerly breeders but becomes more widespread around the Mediterranean from September-April.
Vagrants recorded in Iceland and Faroes, on the Azores and in Egypt, Israel and Kuwait.
Taxonomy
Subspecies[1]
- T. v. viscivorus:
- Western Palearctic (except range of deichleri) to western Siberia
- T. v. deichleri:
- T. v. bonapartei:
Habitat
Open woods, parks and gardens. Light woodland and open country, often in parks and large gardens. After breeding commonly moves to areas with abundant supplies of berries, ivy, yew, holly and mistletoe are favoured. Also feeds in open grassland, playing fields and farmland.
Behaviour
Bold, and often aggressive; frequently mobs predators like cats and Magpies, often very successfully, with its harsh rattling call. Will sometimes even attack people who come too close to its nest. Can look 'tall' when standing.
Breeding
The nest is a big, loose, cup of roots, leaves and moss. It is usually placed high in a tree. The clutch consists of 4 greenish-blue eggs with red marks which are incubated for 15-16 days. The young fledge about 2 weeks later. There may be two broods in the season which runs from late March to July.
Diet
Diet includes worms, fruit, seeds, invertebrates.
Vocalisation
Song: loud, disjointed, not very varied.
Voice: like a football rattle.
<flashmp3>Turdus viscivorus (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
References
- Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Bird Watching
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Mistle Thrush. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 5 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Mistle_Thrush
External Links
