The Thrush Family
(Turdidae)

Order: Passerines (Passeriformes)

The thrush family includes the Robin, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Fieldfare and Redwing.

You can now explore:

Robin

Blackbird

Mistle Thrush

Song Thrush

Robin

Erithacus rubecula

The Robin is a very well known bird, with its distinctive red breast and red face, and its friendly curious manner.

It can often be seen hopping around woods or gardens, or standing still, with a tilted head, as it looks for a tasty morsel. It lets its wings droop when on the ground.

Young Robins do not have a red breast, and have a spotted back.

Habitat

Robins like woodland habitats, where they can pick up creatures that have been disturbed by large mammals.

The Robin has also become very at home in gardens and parks.

Food

Robins eat many types of insect as well as spiders, worms and berries.

Robins seem happy to build a nest in a hole almost anywhere!

They seek out holes in trees, banksides or walls. Some even build their nest inside old buckets or kettles.

They make their nests out of moss, leaves, wool and hair.

The eggs are yellow with brown speckles. The parent couple raise two broods of chicks each year.

Robins breed in England, Wales and Scotland. Some of them migrate to warmer parts, flying off in September.

The Robin sings a pleasant and varied tune, with many clear notes and happy-sounding twitters.

Length

14 cm.

Fun Fact

The tiny nestling Robins are fed by their Mum and Dad for just 2 weeks - then they have to take care of themselves.

Blackbird

Turdus merula

The Blackbird is a very familiar bird to most people in Britain. It sings one of the most beautiful songs to be heard.

The body, head and legs of the adult male, are totally black. There is some colour though; a golden yellow adorns the beak and a circle surrounds each black eye.

However, the female blackbird is not black! She is a dark brown colour, and does not have the bright yellow beak or eye-ring seen in the male. Young blackbirds are light brown, with light streaks down their backs, to help them blend in with their surroundings.

The Blackbird can be found in woods, but has also become a familiar sight in gardens, parks and cities.

Food

You can often see Blackbirds rummaging around on the ground, in search of insects, earthworms, snails and slugs. Blackbirds also like to eat berries.

Blackbirds raise two or three broods of chicks in a single year.

They build a large nest made of stalks, grass and roots, all stuck together with mud.

It is usually built in a bush or tree. The eggs are bluish green, and covered with brown splotches.

Blackbirds breed throughout Britain during the summer, and many remain here all year long. Some of them fly away to warmer parts of the world during the winter.

The Blackbird sings some of the most heart-warming and creative tunes in the world. It sounds a bit like an expert flute player - only better!

When it gives a warning cry, it makes a loud clattering noise which gets higher and higher, then lower again in a slow clucking.

Length

25cm.

Fun Fact

Male Blackbirds are usually black, but sometimes they have white splotches on them. Occasionally, completely white blackbirds are seen, known as "albinos".

Mistle Thrush

Turdus viscivorus

This bird looks quite like the Song Thrush, but it is a bit larger, and the brown spots on its underparts are dotted all the way down its body to its tail.

Habitat

The Mistle Thrush likes broadleaved woodland, but can be found in most places with trees.

The Mistle Thrush eats insects, snails, slugs and worms as well as berries.

The nest is made out of grass, roots, moss and mud, and it is lined with dry grass, which makes it warm and cosy.

The Mistle Thrush usually builds its nest in the fork of tree branches, or in a bush or wall. The eggs are light blue with brown spots.

Mistle Thrushes can be found all throughout Britain during the summer. However, during winter, those in northern Scotland and the north of Ireland fly further south to escape the coldest weather.

Some still remain in southern Britain, while others fly off to warmer parts of Europe, such as Italy and Greece.

Length

27 cm.

Fun Fact

Mistle Thrushes start to sing earlier in the year than most other birds.

Song Thrush

Turdus philomelos

This is many people's favourite bird.
It is often seen in gardens, hopping around and pulling up worms. It smashes snails against stones to crack them open.

The Song Thrush is a warm brown colour, except for its underparts, which are creamy white, with dashes of dark brown.

It is a bit smaller than the Mistle Thrush, and when it flies, you can see a yellow patch under each wing.

Habitat

Song Thrushes can be seen in a range of habitats including woods, parks and gardens.

Food

They eat plants and animals - consuming worms, slugs, snails and insects, as well as berries.

The nest of a Song Thrush is made of twigs, moss and grass and has a smooth lining of wood pulp, which dries to support the bowl shape of the nest.

The nest is constructed low down in a bush or tree. The eggs are bright turquoise-blue, and are spotted with black.

Song Thrushes breed all over Britain. Many stay here all year long, while others fly south in October.

The Song Thrush, as you would expect, is well known for its impressive and pleasant song. It sings long, clear notes, making a pattern, which is often repeated two or three times.

When it gives a warning cry, it shrieks, rather like a blackbird, which is another member of the Thrush Family.

Length

27 cm.

Fun Fact

A close relative of the Song Thrush is the Blue Rock Thrush which is bright blue ! This blue bird is not found in Britain, but can be seen in warmer areas such as the Mediterranean region.