Nature blog: mistle thrush

The mistle thrush is a large songbird found in woodland, parks and gardens. One of these birds can often be seen in the oak tree or on the ground between Chalner House and Coburg Crescent. Perhaps it has a nest nearby.

The mistle thrush has greyish-brown upper parts, a long tail and a white belly with dark brown spots. It is larger and paler than the similar song thrush.

Mistle thrush (Turdus viscivorus) outside Chalner House

The mistle thrush sings a ‘fluty’ song which is usually delivered from a high perch and it gives a rattling call in flight. On the ground, the mistle thrush often has an upright stance that further emphasises its size.

The upright stance of the mistle thrush
Mistle thrush foraging for worms outside Chalner House

You can read more about the mistle thrush on the British Trust for Ornithology, The Wildlife Trusts, the Woodland Trust and RSPB websites.