Thrush Family
The thrushes, members of the unfortunately named
Turdidae are medium sized ground-feeding birds with over 170 species world-wide. We have six species in Britain and Ireland, of which two, the blackbird and song thrush are garden birds. There are also two winter visitors from Scandinavia, the redwing and fieldfare, which are often seen in gardens during cold winters, and the mistle thrush which is now resident and breeding throughout Britain and Ireland and is seen in larger gardens with trees and larger urban spaces such as churchyards. The last species, the
ring-ouzel is a partial migrant, breeding in high moorland, and not a garden visitor.
The European thrushes mostly have speckled breasts, but in the case of the blackbird this is not prominent in the female and not present at all in the pure black male.
We have pages on the blackbird and song thrush - click on the pictures to visit the pages.
(Hen) Blackbird Song thrush
Slightly larger than song thrush. Female and juveniles Back and wings warm brown, underside pale buff with
only faintly spotted, overall dark grey-brown. Male black clear arrow-shaped markings in streaks. Sexes identical
Other thrushes and how to distinguish them
Mistle thrush Turdus viscivorus
Our biggest thrush at 26-28cm, distinguished from the song thrush by its size, upright stance and greyish-brown upper parts. More likely to be seen in smaller gardens in winter. See
BTO factsheet
Redwing Turdus iliacus
Smallest of the thrushes,like the song thrush but with a conspicuous chestnut-red patch under the wing. It also has a well marked pale line over the eye. A winter visitor, often in mixed flocks with fieldfares, feeding on windfall apples.
Page written and compiled by Steve Head
Thrush Family
The thrushes, members of the unfortunately named Turdidae are medium sized ground-feeding birds with over 170 species world-wide. We have six species in Britain and Ireland, of which two, the blackbird and song thrush are garden birds. There are also two winter visitors from Scandinavia, the redwing and fieldfare, which are often seen in gardens during cold winters, and the mistle thrush which is now resident and breeding throughout Britain and Ireland and is seen in larger gardens with trees and larger urban spaces such as churchyards. The last species, the ring-ouzel is a partial migrant, breeding in high moorland, and not a garden visitor.
The European thrushes mostly have speckled breasts, but in the case of the blackbird this is not prominent in the female and not present at all in the pure black male.
We have pages on the blackbird and song thrush - click on the pictures to visit the pages.
Other thrushes and how to distinguish them
Mistle thrush Turdus viscivorus
Our biggest thrush at 26-28cm, distinguished from the song thrush by its size, upright stance and greyish-brown upper parts. More likely to be seen in smaller gardens in winter. See BTO factsheet
Page written and compiled by Steve Head
(Hen) Blackbird
Slightly larger than song thrush. Female and juveniles only faintly spotted, overall dark grey-brown. Male black
Song thrush
Back and wings warm brown, underside pale buff with clear arrow-shaped markings in streaks. Sexes identical