The Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus)

Clickhere for the bird's sound.

This bird visits my garden very rarely and it can easily be mistaken for the Song Thrush. And when I see the Mistle Thrush, it is usually sitting somewhere high in the trees and disappears before I can get my camera. The song of the Mistle Thrush differs very much from that of the Song Thrush, so listening really carefully is the only way to tell them apart. Even though the Mistle Trush is bigger. The Mistle Trush less shy and not afraid of people. It will never be as relaxed in your garden as the Song Thrush often is.

This bird belongs to the family of Thrushes (Turdinae). It is rare in our garden and can be seen in Holland all year long. The bird is 11" and weighs 120 grams. It lives in woodlands, parks and gardens mostly. It eats worms, snails and berries. The sexes do not differ from one another in appearance. The nest is constructed in the trees. This is an early bird, for making the nest usually starts already in March. The four to five eggs are being bred for two weeks. For such a relatively big passerine bird the young grow realy fast and after just 16 days they leave the nest. If the grow fast it means that the parents have to supply a lot of food for them.