The mistle thrush is a large, sometimes aggressive thrush that can be distinguished from the song thrush by its fatter belly, longer squared tail, and smaller head. It spends much of its time on the ground in an upright stance and hops with springing steps as it searches for food. It has a loud, melodious song, similar to that of a blackbird but with a less varied repertoire. When alarmed or excited it gives a dry, chattering call which sounds a little like a football rattle.
Breeding birds: 170,000 territories
Family: Thrushes And Allies
Mistle thrushes have pale grey-brown upperparts with white edges on the feathers of their wings. The tail is grey-brown with white tips on the outer feathers. On the underparts the breast is pale buff and the belly is white with large dark brown or black spots. The spotting becomes denser on the lower breast which gives the appearance of a breast band. The underwing coverts are white.
The head is buff with brown marks on the face, and the chin and throat are greyish-white. The eyes are dark brown, the bill is black with a yellow base on the lower mandible, and the legs and feet are yellow-brown. Males and females look the same.
Juvenile mistle thrushes are similar to adults but have paler upperparts with cream centres to the feathers and pale spots on the head. The underparts are yellowish with smaller spots than the adults.
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Mistle thrushes breed from February to May. They are monogamous and produce 2 or 3 broods a season. They breed in woodlands placing the nest in the fork of a tree or a shrub, but sometimes in walls in gardens. The female constructs the nest which is a bulky cup made from grass, roots, moss, leaves, and dirt, and lined with finer grasses.
Mistle thrushes lay 3-6 smooth, glossy, pale blue eggs with reddish-brown spots, which are incubated by the female alone for 14-16 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 16-20 days after hatching although are dependent for another 2 weeks. They reach sexual maturity at 1 year.
Mistle thrushes eat worms, insects and slugs as well as berries. Although mistletoe berries are an important food source on the Continent in the UK they are more likely to feed on berries from rowan, yew, hawthorn and holly.
Mistle thrushes can be seen all year round throughout the UK. The can be found in woodland, parks, and gardens and will form large flocks with other thrushes in July and August.
Britain's Birds
RSPB Handbook Of British Birds
Collins Bird Guide
Mistle thrushes are sometimes nicknamed stormcocks due to their tendency to defend their territories from tall trees even in the most dreadful weather.
One Response
4.9.25
We had the great fortune of having 5 Mistle Thrushes visit our garden this morning. They stayed in our garden eating the berries from our Rowan Tree for about 30 minutes. We live in Islesteps, Dumfries, Scotland