Fieldfare / Turdus pilaris

Clickhere for the bird's sound.

The Fieldfare stayed in my front garden in january 1987 and I have never seen it since. It's obviously a member of the Thrush family and it lives mainly in Northern and Eastern Europe. The bird in my garden was fond of apples and was rather intolerant and even agressive towards other birds. Especially those looking for food on the ground, such as House Sparrows, Blackbirds were seen as competition for food and chased away.

The Fieldfare belongs to the family of Thrushes (Turdirae). It can be seen in Holland from October to March, but has actually been spotted in my garden only twice. The bird is 26" and weighs 100 grams. It lives in the countryside, mostly in the edges of forests and parks. It eats worms, snails, berries and insects. The birds of different sexes do not differ from one another. Like most other Thrushes the Fliedfare nests in the trees. It produces about six eggs, which are bred for some two weeks. It takes the chicks another two weeks to get out of the nest.