# Mistle Thrush (*Turdus viscivorus*) The Mistle Thrush is a friendly bird that loves to sing. It has a lovely spotted belly and can often be seen in gardens and parks, especially during the winter when it searches for berries. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Urban areas, Gardens ![Mistle Thrush](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Turdus_viscivorus_Brych_y_coed.jpg&width=800) Photo: Alun Williams333, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Turdus_viscivorus_Brych_y_coed.jpg) ## Appearance The Mistle Thrush is a large, pale thrush with a grey-brown back and creamy white underparts heavily patterned with bold, round, dark spots. It has a distinctive pale patch under its wings, visible in flight. Its upright posture and slightly longer tail distinguish it from other thrushes. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Turdidae - **Genus:** Turdus ## Interesting facts - A Mistle Thrush will defend a single berry tree, making sure no other birds eat its precious food. - Mistle Thrushes love mistletoe berries so much, their common name comes from this favorite treat. - They build sturdy cup-shaped nests using grass, moss, and even mud, often high up in tree forks. - This bird is sometimes called the 'Stormcock' because it sings its beautiful song even during gales! ## Special abilities - **Seed Spreader:** Mistle Thrush can digest fruit pulp but not seeds, helping them spread plant seeds far and wide! - **Storm Singer:** Mistle Thrush has a loud, fluting song that can be heard even in stormy weather, earning it the nickname 'stormcock'. - **Berry Defender:** Mistle Thrush can aggressively defend a berry-laden tree from other birds, ensuring a steady food supply. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 27-29 cm - **Wingspan:** 42-48 cm - **Weight:** 0.094-0.16 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-8 years - **Speed:** 50 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-6 - **Incubation:** 12-15 days - **Migration Distance:** 3000 km ## Diet & Feeding This thrush enjoys a mix of invertebrates like worms and insects, plus tasty berries and fruits. - **Age differences:** Juvenile Mistle Thrushes are fed a diet mainly of insects by their parents. - **Primary Foods:** earthworms, beetles, snails, mistletoe berries, hawthorn berries, fallen apples - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Common Mistletoe (*Viscum album*) — Eats its berries, helping to spread seeds. - **Hunts:** [Eurasian Sparrowhawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-sparrowhawk) (*Accipiter nisus*) — A common bird of prey that preys on adult thrushes. - **Eaten by:** [Domestic Cat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/domestic-cat) (*Felis catus*) — House cats can sometimes hunt young or adult thrushes. - **Eaten by:** [Carrion Crow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/carrion-crow) (*Corvus corone*) — Crows are known to prey on eggs and nestlings. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Omnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/omnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet includes both plant and animal matter. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and don't try to touch or chase them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Mistle Thrush? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Mistle Thrush? 27-29 cm ### What is Mistle Thrush's wingspan? 42-48 cm ### How much does Mistle Thrush weigh? 0.094-0.16 kg ### How long does Mistle Thrush live? 2-8 years ### How fast can Mistle Thrush move? 50 km/h ### What does Mistle Thrush eat? This thrush enjoys a mix of invertebrates like worms and insects, plus tasty berries and fruits. ### Where is Mistle Thrush usually found? Urban areas, Gardens ## Where to spot - [Acebal de Garagüeta Nature Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/acebal-de-garagueta-nature-reserve) — Castilla y León, ES · Park ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Mistle Thrush: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mistle-thrush)