Mistle Thrush

How to recognise it

• Larger, longer-tailed and paler than a Song Thrush, standing more upright
• White underparts with blackish spots, plain mid-throat and often a dark patch each side of breast
• Grey-brown back with an olive tinge, white underwing coverts and white tips to outer tail feathers
• Male and female look alike, juveniles have cream teardrop markings above and yellowish underparts

Call and song

The contact call is "trr" or "zrr", and the main call is a dry, laughing krrrr, often likened to a rattle. The very loud song often carries up to two kilometres. It sings from a treetop or other high perch, mainly from November to early June, readily after and sometimes during wind and rain.

Where and when

The Mistle Thrush is a migrant and summer visitor between April and October, breeding in almost all of Sweden except the mountains and the far north. On migration it uses more open ground such as farmland, heaths and grassy hills. Departure towards wintering grounds in southern Europe begins from mid-September. It is reported most in March and from all 21 counties.

Food and behaviour

It feeds on worms, larvae, insects and many kinds of berries, especially mistletoe berries. In winter it defends one or more fruiting trees. On the ground it hops with its head held high and body upright, and its flight is powerful with longer undulations than a Song Thrush's. The male attacks intruders at the nest, including birds of prey, crows and sometimes cats or people.