Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
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About
Song Thrushes eat worms, snails and insects when they are available, but in winter berries and fruit are their main food source. Earthworms form an important part of the Song Thrushes diet and when they cannot dig worms out of the ground anymore (when it has frozen, or in late summer when it is too hard) they resort to eating snails. They pick an unsuspecting snail, beat the snail shell on a rock until it cracks and gobble it up as quickly as they can in case a pesky Blackbird steals the snail! You are lucky to see a Song Thrush as they are withdrawn birds and feed under cover or close to it, unlike Mistle Thrushes that feed out in the open. To entice a Song Thrush to feed in your garden leave food on the ground near to bushes and undergrowth.
Feeding
A Song Thrush can be easily recognised by its brown upper parts and cream coloured, heavily spotted under parts. Some people confuse Mistle Thrushes and Song Thrushes, but Song Thrushes are smaller, have v-shaped spotting, a warmer tone to their plumage and a ‘kind’ expression on their face. Male, females and juveniles all look similar except juveniles have pale streaks on their backs.
Nesting
Song Thrushes nest wherever there are bushes and trees, most commonly in woods, hedgerows, parks and gardens. They need somewhere that has moist soil with a good supply of earthworms and other invertebrate food. The female bird constructs a strong, bowl-shaped nest lined with mud and rotten wood. They produce 2 or 3 broods a year with 3-6 smooth glossy blue eggs which incubate for 12-14 days. Both parents feed the young but they become independent after about five weeks.