From Opus

Photo by Steve Garvie

Turdus viscivorus

[edit] Identification

Grey brown back, dark eye in plain face. Spots have an irregular pattern.

Most of range covered by nominate viscivorus; North-West Africa, Corsica and Sardinia by very similar but slightly paler and greyer deichleri. In general birds become paler and less spotted towards the east of the Region.

[edit] Similar Species

Song Thrush has browner upperparts and 'arrow-shaped' spots.

[edit] Distribution

Photo by Saphire
Staffordshire/Cheshire, UK, December 2005

A common and widespread breeder in the region.

Breeds in the British Isles, France and Iberia east across Europe to the Urals. Breeds in south-east Norway and in much of lowland Sweden and Finland and in Russia north to the White Sea. In the south breeds patchily in north Mediterranean countries and on Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily. Also breeds parts of Turkey and the Caucasus, in the Atlas Mountains of North-West Africa and possibly regularly on Madeira.

Migratory in northern Scandinavia and from Poland eastwards, remainder of range varies from sedentary to partial migrant. Most migrants winter within range of more southerly breeders but becomes more widespread around the Mediterranean from September-April.

Vagrants recorded in Iceland and Faroes, on the Azores and in Egypt, Israel and Kuwait.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

• T. v. viscivorus:

• Western Palearctic (except range of deichleri) to western Siberia

• T. v. deichleri:

• Northwest Africa, Corsica and Sardinia

• T. v. bonapartei:

• Eastern Siberia to central Asia and the Himalayas; winters to northern India

[edit] Habitat

Open woods, parks & gardens. Light woodland and open country, often in parks and large gardens. After breeding commonly moves to areas with abundant supplies of berries, ivy, yew, holly and mistletoe are favoured. Also feeds in open grassland, playing fields and farmland.

[edit] Behaviour

Looks tall when standing.

[edit] Breeding

The nest is a big, loose, cup of roots, leaves and moss. It is usually placed high in a tree. The clutch consists of 4 greenish-blue eggs with red marks which are incubated for 15-16 days. The young fledge about 2 weeks later. There may be two broods in the season which runs from late March to July.

[edit] Diet

Diet includes worms, fruit, seeds, invertebrates.

[edit] Vocalisation

Song: loud, disjointed, not very varied.
Voice: like a football rattle.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Bird Watching

• List of references

[edit] External Links