For the last 2 to 3 days there has been a new addition to our garden, a song thrush. However since he/.she has arrived he/she has scared all the birds away including wood pigeons, blue tits, sparrows, Starlings and robins. We have different feeding points around the garden but this thrush will not let any bird go on any feeder or even sit on a near by fence. As soon as another bird appears the thrush will be very aggresive and fly at them repeated until they leave. The thrush sits there for hours and never leaves the garden guarding it from all birds. Is there any one who has had this?? I feel sorry for all the regular birds who can no longer come on to the feeders
Any advice!?
A few people have been finding this with various different birds. Aside from spreading food around and using different types of feeders that suit different birds there is little else that can be done. This is just one part of life the birds will have to sort out for themselves.
Millie & Fly the Border Collies
Hi Katie
I don't want to question your ID skills but are you absolutely sure that it is a song thrush? These birds are usually the ones that get bullied by blackbirds and the like.
Mistle thrushes on the other hand are much bigger and more aggressive. Here's a photo of one that I borrowed from Highland McHale's gallery.
Or even a fieldfare like this.
I know from my own garden how aggressive and assertive fieldfares in particular can be in defending food sources from other birds. They have been invading gardens all over the country during this cold spell.
As the previous contributor says you are doing all the right things as far as feeding is concerned.
If it is a mistle thrush or a fieldfare then they will almost certainly disappear back into open countryside as soon as this severe weather is over and your normal garden birds will be left in peace.
If it is a song thrush enjoy it because they are becoming increasingly less common.
Regards
TJ
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Tony
My Flickr Photostream
Unknown said: I don't want to question your ID skills but are you absolutely sure that it is a song thrush? These birds are usually the ones that get bullied by blackbirds and the like.
I've had a song thrush defend feeders before when I made a wild berry and apple fat cake, they are more than capable of chasing away other birds if they chose to lol Saying that, my poor thrush was defeated by the sheer number of starlings who seemed to take it in turns to be the ones being chased while others snatched a bite of food lol
My recent acquisition - a song thrush, as identified by everyone on this forum, was being bullied by a blackbird for 2 days. It wasn't allowed to eat at all. The blackbird sat on the fence watching the thrush up in the tree. The second the thrush landed, the blackbird attacked.
On the third day I was watching the events. Thrush landed, Blackbird attacked, BUT Thrush held his ground and attacked back. I was expecting feathers to fly, but No!!!! Blackbird turned his back on Thrush, fluffed up his feathers and remained inert, still with his back to Thrush. Thrush started to eat the sultanas. Several minutes elapsed, with Thrush still eating and Blackbird still fluffed up with his back to Thrush. Then Blackbird turned, and also started to eat.
What do you make of that? Just goes to show that bullies are also cowards!!!!
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
Hi Katie and welcome to the RSPB Forum
Interesting qestion about the Thrushes.
The way to tell thrushes apart is the
The Mistle Thrush is lean, leggy looking, and more grey.brown, with speckles on the chest area. It moves about with a tall gait like it is on its tiptoes.
The Song thrush is more Gold/Brown coloured. Song Thrushes is stout, and rotund, with speckles on the chest area.
A Mistle Thrush is 9-10 inches
Song Thrush - 9 inches
Blackbird - 10 inches
So there is a slight differences size wise
Kathy and Dave
Hi Katie, Welcome,
I find the blackbirds to be the bullies & most aggressive.
Greenfinches are also aggressive on the feeders.
Hi Sparrow
Your story rings true in the bird world
Bullies are bullies. In the bird world the weather has been so bad recently. IMHO, I feel that the birds are fighting a lot more for their piece of the cake.
It is the survivial of the fittest at the moment until the weather improves.
Susan H said: My recent acquisition - a song thrush, as identified by everyone on this forum, was being bullied by a blackbird for 2 days. It wasn't allowed to eat at all. The blackbird sat on the fence watching the thrush up in the tree. The second the thrush landed, the blackbird attacked. On the third day I was watching the events. Thrush landed, Blackbird attacked, BUT Thrush held his ground and attacked back. I was expecting feathers to fly, but No!!!! Blackbird turned his back on Thrush, fluffed up his feathers and remained inert, still with his back to Thrush. Thrush started to eat the sultanas. Several minutes elapsed, with Thrush still eating and Blackbird still fluffed up with his back to Thrush. Then Blackbird turned, and also started to eat. What do you make of that? Just goes to show that bullies are also cowards!!!!
I too think this is a Fieldfare...
We've had them in our garden for the last few days and they have completely donimated the rest of the wildlife - chasing off the numerous blackbirds who used to call our garden their home. (Comin' over 'ere takin' our 'edges an' breadcrubs....)
Hi I have registered for the first time today to ask a similar question. I have had a blackcap wintering in my garden for several years now and was initially pleased to see one return. However I then realised that I had not seen the coal tit who is the most frequent visitor to my feeders , nor the blue tits nor the great tits, just an occasional glimpse of a robin and a blackbird and cautious forays by a couple of dunnocks. As the temperatures plummeted I was really worried about the coal tit in particular. I finally spotted him but he was immediately chased away by the black cap. I have since seen the black cap attacking any intruder though the robin and blackbird will stand their ground. I saw greenfinches in the beech tree at the bottom of my garden just now, they would normally arrive en masse to the feeders but have stayed away. I have responded as has been suggested by spreading feeding stations down the garden but later than I might have had I anticipated the problem.
Sandra H said: Hi I have registered for the first time today to ask a similar question. I have had a blackcap wintering in my garden for several years now and was initially pleased to see one return. However I then realised that I had not seen the coal tit who is the most frequent visitor to my feeders , nor the blue tits nor the great tits, just an occasional glimpse of a robin and a blackbird and cautious forays by a couple of dunnocks. As the temperatures plummeted I was really worried about the coal tit in particular. I finally spotted him but he was immediately chased away by the black cap. I have since seen the black cap attacking any intruder though the robin and blackbird will stand their ground. I saw greenfinches in the beech tree at the bottom of my garden just now, they would normally arrive en masse to the feeders but have stayed away. I have responded as has been suggested by spreading feeding stations down the garden but later than I might have had I anticipated the problem.
Hi Sand
Try my "blackcap recipe" to make a fat block which I discovered by accident. Here's the link to the thread which explains all.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/forums/p/8310/60884.aspx#60884
Can't guarantee that it'll work for you but it may be worth a try. If he's got his own personal food source that other birds are not competing for he may leave them alone.
As you see my resident male blackcap likes it and I have had visits from another male and a female when he allows it
Good luck