Would you know a song thrush if one landed near you? RSPB England’s Beth Markey delves into the identifiable features and behaviours of this beautiful bird.
Song thrushes are well-loved, snail-eating, melody-bringing members of the garden community. Once numerous across the UK countryside, their population has significantly fallen in the last 50 years and they often rely heavily on gardens and green spaces for nesting sites. Because of this, their place in the Big Garden Birdwatch rankings has fallen significantly, but they are still frequently sighted in counts across the country.
Song thrush key stats
Size: slightly smaller than a blackbird Identifiable features: pale spotted chest covered in spots When to see them: all year round Where to see them: woods, hedgerows, parks and gardens across the UK What do they eat: worms, snails and fruit Song: listen here.
How to spot a song thrush
Where there are trees and bushes, you can usually find a song thrush. These birds are elusive and often hidden in plain sight, so spotting them is no easy feat. In the summer, you can rely on their distinctive song, which is packed full of repetitive notes and can be heard for miles around. But in the winter, they prefer to keep their presence hidden, only coming out occasionally to feed and bathe.
If you’re lucky, you may spot a song thrush smashing a snail shell against a rock to get to the tastier body parts inside. This is a characteristic trait of a song thrush and a technique they have mastered over generations. If you see a collection of snail shells next to a rock, odds are a song thrush is nearby.
The easiest way to identify a song thrush is by the numerous chevrons, or v-shaped markings, on their breast. Often mistaken for mistle thrush, song thrushes are smaller, darker in colour and have neater markings on the chest.
How to attract song thrushes to your garden
Unlike a lot of garden birds, you are extremely unlikely to attract song thrushes through feeders. A song thrush’s diet is largely made up of earthworms and snails, which they forage for in the ground. They’re also very shy, although they can sometimes be tempted out by kitchen scraps or leftover seeds that have fallen from feeders.
Leaving parts of your garden untamed is a sure way to get the attention of hungry song thrushes. It’s important to avoid using insecticide as this can harm insect-eating birds. Plenty of tree and bush cover will give them somewhere to escape into and also provide them with shelter over the winter. It may also give them a place to nest in the spring and summer months.
Finally, if you want to spot a song thrush, it’s worth having a pair of binoculars on hand – just in case they decide they don’t want to leave their place of shelter (or you’re not around when they do).
There’s still time to sign up to the Big Garden Birdwatch. Register here: rspb.org.uk/birdwatch
Image credit: Chris Gomersall