Mistle Thrush Identification Guide
What I look like
The Mistle Thrush is the largest thrush in Western Europe.
It is about the size of a blackbird.
It closely resembles the Song Thrush but is larger. Here is a Song Thrush...
The upper body of the Mistle Thrush is brown-gray.
The underside of the body is light speckled with dark rounded spots.
In flight, the white underparts of the wings are noticeable.
My songs, my calls
The Mistle Thrush emits a harsh, buzzing call "gre-gre-gre" all year round. Here, an alarm call...
Its song is similar to that of the blackbird but less varied. Phrases are short and separated by brief silences.
It can be heard singing from February.
How I behave
The Mistle Thrush has an undulating flight and powerful wing beats.
On the ground, it stands very upright.
It is very shy.
In winter, it sometimes joins other thrushes in the meadows.
How I reproduce
The breeding season of the Mistle Thrush extends from February to August.
It produces 1 to 2 broods per year of 3 to 5 light eggs speckled with russet.
It nests in large trees.
Its nest is a cup of twigs, grass, and stems.
What I eat
The Mistle Thrush eats worms, insects, and seeds...
as well as berries, like mistletoe berries.
When eating mistletoe berries, it digests the flesh but dispels the seeds by rubbing them on branches or in its droppings.
By dispersing the seeds, it helps the mistletoe plant to spread.
At the feeder it will feed on soft foods like dried fruits...
Where to find me
The Mistle Thrush lives in woodlands with large trees, woods, parks, and gardens.
It is a sedentary species and sometimes a short-distance migrant.
It withstands winter thanks to trees filled with mistletoe.
In summer, it can be seen in gardens searching for worms and insects...
But by late summer, this shy species moves to meadows, fields, and pastures.