Song Thrush
Scientific name: Turdus philomelos
Song Thrush
The Song Thrush is found throughout the British Isles and mainland Europe. Numbers have declined over the last century and it is now in the red category of conservation importance which means that there has been a rapid change in the past 25 years. The garden birds tend to be resident, but there is a migration in the winter from colder regions depending on the severity of the weather. They travel at night. Scandinavian birds come to Britain and some British thrushes move to Northern France, Iberia or even North Africa.
Both sexes are similar with a brown back and a cream underside which is speckled black. There is a yellowish tinge below the wings which becomes paler on the belly.
They are omniverous, feeding on earthworms, slugs, snails and other invertebrates along with fruits and berries. They use an 'anvil stone' to smash open snail shells and the "tap-tap" sound can often be heard in the garden.
As with their close relative, the Blackbird, they can be a nuisance in the garden as they scatter mulches and leaf-litter in their pursuit of invertebrates. They are a little more shy though, keeping close to cover from shrubs and trees.
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