Status and conservation The
song thrush
has an extensive range, estimated at 10 million square kilometres (4 million square miles), and a large population, with an estimated 40 to 71 million individuals in Europe alone.
Where do you find song thrush?
Song thrushes live in woodland, farmland, scrub, parks and gardens across the UK They favour anywhere with a good supply of trees and bushes to nest in.
Is the song thrush endangered in the UK?
Because of this decline, the song thrush is Amber listed as a bird of serious conservation concern There has been a partial recovery in numbers during the last decade.
Are song thrushes aggressive?
They’re aggressive and are often very noticeable when they’re defending a good source of food, flying at other birds and giving their loud rattling call. At other times, they can be quite secretive and hard to see.
What do you feed a song with thrush?
The Song Thrush’s diet is largely earthworms and snails , with the latter broken open by the bird smashing the shell against a hard object such a stone. Other food incudes insects and spiders, plus fruit and berries in the colder months.
Where do song thrush go in winter?
Song thrushes are sensitive to hard winter weather. Winter territories are abandoned during periods of severe weather, when many birds move southwards, even as far as north-west France and northern Spain Considerable numbers of Dutch birds spend the winter in the UK.
What is the difference between a song thrush and a mistle thrush?
The main differences between the two birds are that song thrushes have a
rounder appearance
and have lighter breasts with markings that look like upside-down hearts or arrowheads. Mistles thrushes appear lighter and almost grey at first glance.
How long does a thrush sit on her eggs?
Normal clutch size is 3-5, with one egg laid each day. The female starts to incubate once the last egg is laid, and the chicks hatch 13-15 days later. Only the female broods the chicks, but both parents feed them.
How long does a song thrush live?
How long do song thrushes live? The life expectancy of a song thrust is around 3 or 4 years , although some have been known to live longer. The oldest known song thrush on record lived to just over 13 years old!.
Do song thrushes sing at night?
Though they sing most prolifically at dusk and dawn, street lighting will certainly see them singing at night too Whereas the song is complex and delivered with impressive elocution, the typical call of the Song Thrush is quite the opposite.
Are thrushes on the decline?
Figures produced by the British Trust for Ornithology show that song thrush numbers have dropped by 54 per cent since 1969 , linnets by 56 per cent, bullfinches by 67 per cent, tree sparrows by 80 per cent and so on.
Are song thrushes protected?
Conservation status Classified in the UK as Amber under the Birds of Conservation Concern 5: the Red List for Birds (2021). Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.
Do song thrushes mimic other birds?
The song consists of a series of vigorous, simple phrases, less rich than that of the Blackbird, but with a penetrating quality. The fluting notes are often interspersed with harsh, impure tones and some mimicry of other species.
How do you encourage the song thrushes?
- Keep areas of damp woodland on the farm for song thrush
- Encourage the scrub understorey to develop and leave fallen trees as a habitat for deadwood insects.
- Plant small native woodland patches which will provide habitat for song thrushes in areas where this is lacking.
What does a female song thrush look like?
what do they look like? A Song Thrush can often be identified by its
dark brown
/orange colour, black beak and brown/
pink legs
Although similar in appearance to the Mistle Thrush and Redwing, they are actually much smaller than the Mistle Thrush and has smaller, spotted markings along with darker feathers.
How do I know if my bird has thrush?
The adult male has glossy black plumage, blackish-brown legs, a yellow eye-ring and an
orange-yellow bill
. The bill darkens somewhat in winter. The adult female is brown with a dull yellowish-brownish bill, a brownish-white throat and some weak mottling on the breast. The juvenile is similar to the female.
Do thrush eat slugs?
Though all of our breeding thrushes have been recorded feeding on snails , it is only the song thrush that is proficient in opening larger shells by smashing them against stones or other hard objects. The other thrushes tend to feed on smaller snails, which are easily broken open with the bill.
Do Wood Thrush eat worms?
Diet. Mostly insects and berries. Feeds on many insects, especially in breeding season, including beetles, caterpillars, ants, crickets, moths, and many others; also spiders, earthworms, and snails.
What does a song thrush eggs look like?
Song thrush eggs are smooth and glossy,31 x 22mm large. They are very pale blue eggs with a few large dark speckles, mostly at the wider end The nests are usually constructed out of mud, with no grass lining.
What has happened to all the thrushes?
Their ability to repeat musical phrases make them one of Britain’s most loved garden birds. But the song thrush population has plummeted by 76 per cent in 40 years , the RSPB has revealed. Experts said the tiny birds have been hit by the loss of their hedgerow and woodland habitats.
What does a song thrush look like?
Song: Similar to that of Blackbird, but uttered in much shorter phrases and has a more desolate tone Often heard singing very early in the year. Pale outer edges to tail is a diagnostic feature of Mistle Thrush. Tail colour tends to contrast with the slightly paler rump and lower back.